Home > Halt and Catch Fire

Play with Friends

( whirring )

You know why vegetables are a better way to start your morning?

Because they contain fiber, which helps with your digestion.

You know what that is?

I just did number two. Can I have Frosted Flakes?

Remember our little talk about trying new things?

98.7. Get dressed for school.

Mommy, I still don't feel well and Daddy's making me go to school.

Sweetheart, Mommy really can't afford to get sick right now.

Let me make you a pot of coffee.

Oh, thanks, but I gotta get to the office.

Could you feel my forehead? I'm afraid I'm coming down with whatever Joanie has.

Had.

Cool as a cucumber, just like you.

( chuckles )

Come on, you know I'm late.

All right, I get it.

Gordon, I'm not mad. I really am late.

No, I know. I don't want you to be late for work.

Uh, thank you for squeezing me into your schedule.

Happy to. You've got my ear until the day begins in earnest.

- What's on your mind? - Opportunity.

Well, let me stop you there.

I don't have any job openings.

Well, that works out well because I don't want a job.

You're sitting on a gold mine.

Give me six months, I'll turn Network and Computer Systems into an income-generating department.

( laughs ) Okay, I'll play.

I work right next to the mainframe sites.

They're powered on all day, every day.

On nights and weekends, they're just sitting there idle.

We lease our mainframe space and our network during off hours to third-party businesses who need a larger, more powerful network.

Overhead is near zero. It's pure profit.

It's too big a security risk.

We have sensitive business transactions running on our mainframe.

Now, see, you don't understand how a mainframe works.

We can configure the privilege settings to lock these users into a tightly controlled area.

Think of it as a padded cell.

No outside user can access our company files.

And that's just the beginning.

This department would be an incubator for a large-scale operation.

We can turn this juggernaut into one massive, forward-thinking entity and you, you'll be on a first-name basis with Jacob Wheeler.

All we have to do is imagine it, trust it, and flip the switch.

If you believe so much in this vision for Westgroup, why don't you share it with your future father-in-law?

Oh, I know who you are.

You didn't think I'd take a meeting with some plebe from the data center, did you?

I was here before her first marriage blew up and I'll be here after she's done with you, too.

( sighs )

- You ready for this? - Yeah.

- So do your thing and then I'll-- - Yeah, I got it.

Okay, so, I just wanted to thank everyone for busting their asses the last few days, pretty much without sleep.

It's no secret that we're struggling, through no fault of anyone here,

to keep the lights on.

Every penny counts, so thank you, guys, for being such good sports.

It's not game over, but we are on life support.

We're operating with a third of our XTs and our subscribers keep cancelling.

( laughs ) I don't know, I guess there's no honor among gamers.

So we're kind of-- look, we're spending more than we're making, which is a mathematical--

We're almost out of money.

What little we have we need to cover operating costs, so what that means is that we can't afford to pay your salaries right now.

But in exchange for you forgoing your salaries, we're offering you shares of the company, which will be worth a lot more in the long run.

- In success. - Yes.

Yes, in success.

Look, this is what we all signed up for.

It's the risk of working at a company like this, but don't forget that the upside is also so much greater.

I think it's a risk worth taking, but each of you need to decide that for yourself.

I'm in.

Me, too.

Yep.

( speaks Russian )

In.

( laughs )

I'm out.

C-come on, man.

It's been a sweet ride.

Student loans, sorry.

Hey, can we talk about this?

I'm not going to take that kind of risk on a bunch of online games.

( zips bag )

Have fun writing cartridges.

That's what you've always wanted to do, so I just gave you an easy excuse.

Or maybe I don't think the shares are gonna be worth anything.

( theme music playing )

( paper rustling )

( sighs )

Two days in a row.

What, are you angling to come back to work?

Work? You ain't paying anybody anything.

More like volunteerin'.

No, I had an errand to run this side of town.

Thought I'd bring you over some breakfast tacos

'cause y'all are starting to look like POWs around here.

Mm.

And I noticed this file with your invoices in it and a couple places where you could cut some costs popped out at me.

If you're interested in hearing my suggestions.

Yeah.

That's it, I'm going back to games.

Oh, no, Lev, you're doing great.

You can handle this. It's just six rooms.

18.

You really do tune me out.

Come on, how did that happen?

You told me any time there's a lot of chatter on a subject to create a new room for those users.

This is really incredible, Lev.

I just finished creating a new room and now a bunch of bird feeder enthusiasts have hijacked the Catty Cathys to discuss using cat litter

- in the bottom of bird feeders. - Let me see, let me see.

So now the Catty Cathys are pissed off because they can't follow their urine odor removal thread, which pisses me off because I hate cats and Chatty Cathys.

We have users coming into our rooms just to complain?

Do we have people signing up just for Community?

Do you need me to draw you a Venn diagram of cat ladies and gamers?

Not a whole lot of overlap.

Now can we please ask Cameron for another body?

When we get up to 30 rooms, you let me know.

We already sent out mailers with instructions on reinstalling the software.

- They're still cancelling. - Well, of course they are.

You just gave your girlfriend the clap.

You think sendin' out mailers is gonna fix that?

- ( laughs ) - You gotta send her flowers, not penicillin.

- What do you suggest we do? - First of all, your image needs rehabilitation.

I noticed an invoice here for prepaid ad space in "Byte Magazine."

Look, use this to change the story.

That sounds great, but we can't afford an ad agency right now.

No, you don't need one. Two words in bold black lettering-- we're hiring.

Folks see that, they think you're cooking on the front burner.

Look, and a little splash of color would be nice in there somewhere.

Draw the eye, won't break the bank.

Yeah, maybe a photo of our staff at work.

- Bosworth: Mm-hmm. - ( laughs ) Yeah, that'll really pop.

What, Bodie and Wonderboy hunched over their keyboards?

Yeah, or it'll remind people of Steve Jobs starting Apple in his garage.

People can't seem to get enough of that old chestnut.

Hey, no more cold calls. You've got to go door-to-door.

- Boz, we don't have the manpower. - Just go after the whales.

- Hmm? - Your whales, your top dogs.

Those 10 names that I highlighted here, these are your biggest spenders.

Start with them.

Uh, okay, I guess we could send Lev out.

He k-kind of passes for normal.

Oh, no, no, I need Lev for Community.

- Why? - We're up to almost 20 rooms.

- What? That's huge. - I know, that's a little bit of good news, right?

- W-when did that happen? - Ahem.

- Just this morning. He showed me-- - Ahem!

Ladies, this is where you say,

"Could you please do this for us, Bosworth?

You are an unbelievable salesman."

And I say, "No, that chapter in my life is closed."

And then you say, "Please do us this favor?"

And I say, "No, I cannot."

And then it goes back and forth like that a couple more times and I say yes.

Thanks.

I can take it from here.

What am I supposed to write on the work order?

What work order?

What's going on? Why am I the only one pitching today, guys?

Come on, sky's the limit. Whatever-- whatever comes to mind.

Come on, guys, let's get serious.

There's shares on the line here.

- ( laughs ) - Oh...

Yeah.

Uh, we could do our version of "Bard's Tale," but the players try to free a princess who's actually a hobbit in disguise.

( men murmur )

Okay, I think we need to go bigger.

Uh, maybe I'm not explaining it very well.

You see, the players, um--

What if we create a shooter game that's totally immersive?

That shows the player's perspective of his surroundings.

- And you want to try to do this online? - Yeah. What?

I mean, I know we're more limited in the kind of graphics we can do, but if we pulled it off, it would be amazing.

Uh, what's a good enemy? And no tanks or aliens.

- We need something fresh. - ( door closes )

- Morning. - Sorry, I got held up.

- Okay, leave a little earlier. - ( men snicker )

- Bodie: Okay, I-- I got it. - Yeah.

Find and kill E.T. before he eats your Reese's Pieces.

- No! - ( men laugh )

Amit: Bodie, that's, like, the worst.

Okay, let's stop while we're stuck and then we can pick up again tomorrow.

- Good? - Well, that was...

Arki: Bodie, it was a bad idea.

He will eat candy. You cannot kill E.T.

Bodie: It's just some Reese's Pieces.

- Hey. - Hey.

Sorry, would you be more comfortable in one of the bedrooms?

No, no, I'm good. I just need to fuel up.

- What's going on with you? - Nothing.

I just-- I slept through my alarm and I guess I'm just really tired.

Okay, we're all really tired.

Just because you're not getting paid anymore doesn't mean you can show up late for work.

- It's bad for morale. - It won't happen again.

- Okay. - Okay.

- ( panting ) - ( birds chirping )

( distant dog barking )

Hey.

I didn't see you there.

- You been waiting long? - Just got here.

Oh, I was out doing my miles.

Did-- did nine miles.

Whoo! ( panting )

You want a smoothie? I'm making one for myself.

Sure. When did you start drinking smoothies?

Um...

- hold on, let me get closer. - ( button clicking )

I wasn't kidding there when I told you I was getting back into shape.

You know, 1985's my year, man.

I'm eating better, I'm exercising.

You know, I haven't jogged regularly since, I mean, I don't even know.

Adidas came out with that track suit.

Exactly. It's already paying off, too.

Doctor called yesterday, said that my blood work's good.

Said I've got the body of a 25-year-old.

Hmm.

All right.

- ( blender whirring ) - Ah.

I programmed the remote to turn on all the electrical appliances in the house.

- Pretty innovative, huh? - You know, I've been doing some innovative stuff at Westgroup Energy.

Oil's taking a big hit and the industry needs to diversify, so...

- ( whirring continues ) - Hmm.

- ( whirring stops ) - Joe: It's a perfect moment

to take Westgroup into the Information Age.

Um, have you heard about time-sharing?

Yeah, I've heard of time-sharing.

Westgroup's got a brand-spankin'-new IBM 3090 mainframe still in beta at headquarters downtown.

I'm starting there and then moving to the 3081 in London and New York.

Wow, shit. Profit margins will be huge.

Yeah, it'll make ARPANET look like two tin cans and a fishing line.

So I'm looking for a ground-floor engineer to convert the mainframes for outside dial-in access.

Wait, you're not trying to sell me on this, are you?

No, we're just talking. You're reading too much into it.

I'm looking for someone. You're the best engineer I know.

I wanted to give you the first right of refusal.

- Be flattered. - I am flattered, all right? And I refuse.

- I thought we were getting along. - We are getting along.

Let's not ruin it by jumping back into business together.

Come on, it's one day's work.

They're still running Cardiff Systems software.

You could do it with your eyes closed.

When you invited me and Donna to dinner last week, was that to butter me up for this?

I didn't even have this idea when I invited you to dinner.

Is Sara even your fiancée, or is that just some person that you hired

- to make yourself seem normal and trustworthy? - Now you just sound crazy.

No, crazy is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.

You do understand this area of tech is exploding, right?

In 18 months, we'll be bigger than CompuServe by a power of five.

Where will you be in 18 months?

I don't know. Maybe drinking mai tais poolside in Maui off all the money I made on the Giant.

I'm sorry, Joe. You're gonna have to find somebody else.

( knocks )

- Oh, hey there, son. Is your daddy home? - No.

- When do you expect him? - Well, that's the million-dollar question.

Look, whatever you're selling, I'm not interested.

Ma'am, I'm not selling anything.

My name's John Bosworth, by the way.

I'm head of Customer Satisfaction at a company called Mutiny.

I just came by this morning to apologize to your son here about all our network hassles this week and see what I can do to bring him back into the Mutiny family.

Nothing. I'm the one that cancelled the subscription, okay?

He's been racking up hundreds of dollars on my credit card.

Can't remember the last time that he had a friend home from school.

I mean... ( scoffs )

You video game companies are no better than drug peddlers.

Oh, I'm sorry, ma'am. I didn't realize our services had disrupted your boy's social life.

- What grade are you in, son? - Ninth.

Yeah, your mama's right. You gotta spend more time with your buddies at school.

All they talk about is sports.

Well, that's not true. What about Gavin?

Have any of these Mutiny users become friends of yours?

Oh, yeah, like 32.

Well, that I talk to regularly.

Maybe six or seven that just want to play against me,

- which is also fun. - ( scoffs )

I don't understand how you're talking to all these people.

I never hear a peep out of you when you're down there.

( sighs ) My mother's a Luddite.

We type messages to each other.

That's how you talk online.

Ma'am, you and I are too old school to understand this, but to your son here and his friends,

Mutiny is the church.

It's where they find community.

Sometimes that's the only place.

( Bosworth chuckles )

You have a good day. I'm sorry to have taken up so much of your time.

Wait, um, what'd you say your name was again?

It's John.

John Bosworth.

- ( knocks ) - Hmm?

I heard you were looking for me?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Um, okay, so I've been doing some inventory,

trying to figure out what games we can afford to lose to help lighten the network.

That's smart. Did you want suggestions or...

Well, I was thinking that Backgammon and Checkers are no-brainers.

They're our lowest performers and not one of our originals.

Yeah, that's great.

And I'm gonna have to cut Community.

- Huh? Why? - Well--

The only bandwidth it takes up is people on it typing, and no one types as fast as even the slowest telephone modem.

It's not about bandwidth. It's about security.

Community's our most vulnerable spot.

Someone shares the wrong file, we get infected again.

I just-- I can't take a chance on that happening.

If you want to make this a place where people can connect, then there's going to be risk involved.

I know.

I'm just not willing to take a risk on something so small.

We've tripled in a week.

A lot of our users aren't even gamers and it requires very little manpower, so I have to be honest with you,

I think this is a huge mistake from a business standpoint.

Noted.

( chatter, laughter )

- ( gasps ) - Oh, sorry. ( snickers )

- Give me that. - I'm sor-- sorry.

Sorry, sorry!

Uncle!

Jesus!

God, you scared the shit out of me.

What are you do-- how long have you been in here?

Since you and the girls got home.

It's the only place they don't look for me.

( voice breaks ) I've had a day.

Okay, well, I know that feeling.

I had weeks like that. What happened?

Cameron's cutting all of my Community rooms just when they're taking off.

And she was so polite about it, too.

All business. It was unbearable.

Well, you're always saying how you wished she'd be more professional.

Yeah, but not against me.

( scoffs ) We're supposed to be partners.

Why don't you get undressed and take an actual bath, okay?

I'll put the girls to bed and I'll order takeout for you

- from whatever restaurant you want. - No, I'm not hungry.

Do you remember how you felt the first time you powered on the Giant

- and you knew it was something special? - Yeah.

Well, I felt the same way when the first user entered my Community room.

It was like--

I don't know, it was like giving birth.

You know? I know that sounds crazy.

Look, it doesn't sound crazy at all.

Look, you created it. It is your baby.

Yeah.

( voice breaks ) It's really nice that you get it.

I don't know. I don't know if I'm cut out for this.

Hey, look, you can do this, okay?

You're too lost to see it, but I can see it.

Forget what Cameron thinks.

This is a big idea.

You have to see it through.

But what's the point? Even if-- even if we get all the XTs back up and running, we can't survive long-term on a rickety, homemade network.

Look, you'll-- you'll figure something out.

Would I be a terrible mother if I stayed in here until the girls went to sleep?

Yes.

- Hey. - Hey.

You're-- you're out late.

Or early, depending on your sleep schedule.

Uh, yeah, I couldn't get any work done during the day with the phones ringing, so I-- I'm just here to get snacks.

- Right, yeah... - Grocery store, so...

- I didn't know you worked here. - I'm actually here undercover.

Um, for our games. I'm doing some research.

I got one already. "Stock Boy."

It's where the players have 10 minutes to try and stock all the shelves while dodging senior citizens on the hunt for adult diapers.

- ( laughs ) - I used to work here in high school and the manager let me pick up a couple shifts.

- Yeah, of course, it's-- - It's just till the shares are worth something.

That's great.

I-- I mean, it's not, like, great.

Yeah, the FireBall Jawbreakers, they're at the bottom shelf at the end of aisle six, and the Good & Plentys are halfway down the same aisle, but they're on the right.

It's hard to miss. You always leave a trail of wrappers in your wake.

( car engine starts )

Cool. Uh... right.

( laughs ) I'll see you in a few.

- Yep. - Okay.

Here are my terms. First off, I'm in charge.

Second, I'll provide my services for free in exchange for Mutiny being your first client, all right?

And third, dude, this is a pilot program.

I expect a discounted rate.

So, what did you screw up over at Mutiny?

Nothing. I'm just trying to help out my wife.

All right, let me get this straight.

Donna asked you if Cameron's company could be my pilot program.

They're desperate.

They're not desperate. Look, the company's in great shape.

Do we have a deal or not?

All right, I put together an equipment list.

Just so you know, converting the mainframes for time-sharing isn't as easy as just flipping a switch.

I mean, the T-1 connections alone are gonna take a few days.

I already had three T-1 high-speed lines installed.

I just need you to finish the connections and install IBM's time-sharing option.

All right. Well, we should use Michigan Terminal Systems.

You know, it's much more reliable than IBM.

Could you do it tonight?

- Why tonight? - Can you do it or can't you, Gordon?

Yeah, yeah, I could do it.

Great, why don't you grab this stuff and meet me at the bar across the street at 8:00?

Why don't you grab this stuff and meet me at the bar at 8:00?

Okay, um, before I go screw myself, when was the last time that you got the head of CompuServe on the phone?

Also, we're not CompuServe!

- ( knock on door ) - Yeah?

- This a bad time? - Huh? No, no, come in.

Just doing some customer service.

Can I ask you a question? Have you ever used Mutiny Community?

Yeah.

- What's your question? - That. That was my question.

I just thought you should try it before you decide to drop it.

But you have, so I'll leave it to you.

Okay.

What's your favorite room?

- What? - Your favorite room. All the guys have one.

I'm just curious.

I know what Community is.

With respect, I disagree.

It's simple text with no graphical capability or playability.

- Oh. - Am I wrong?

The code might not be revolutionary, but the interactions between users are a completely new way of communicating.

People can be more authentic online than in real life, and that is addictive.

Okay, fine.

I'll give a spin in Community.

Just don't expect me to change my mind.

Because you just don't like it or because it didn't come from you?

"Things Can Only Get Better" playing

( song continues playing in background )

( cheering, clapping )

Whoo!

Can we turn the heat back on now?

Aw, come on. Get yourself a new wool skirt, milady.

- ( laughing ) - We just got back another subscriber.

I think we should celebrate.

Cameron bought those for tonight.

Oh, right, we're still on the clock.

Or are we?

- ( laughter ) - Bodie: Heads up.

( all cheering )

( all chanting ) Drink! Drink! Drink!

You're spilling on my shares. How am I gonna feed myself?

( computer beeps )

Wonderboy: God, man.

( laughing, cheering )

♪ But I won't stop and falter ♪

- ♪ And if we throw it all away... ♪ - ( keyboard clacking )

♪ Things can only get better ♪

♪ Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa ♪

- ♪ Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa... ♪ - ( keyboard clacking )

♪ Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa ♪

♪ Whoa, whoa, whoa ♪

♪ Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa ♪

♪ Treating today as though it was ♪

♪ The last, the final show ♪

♪ Get to 60 and feel no regret ♪

♪ It may take a little time ♪

♪ A lonely path, an uphill climb ♪

♪ Success or failure will not alter it ♪

♪ And do you feel scared? I do ♪

♪ And I won't stop and falter ♪

♪ And if we throw it all away ♪

♪ Things can only get better ♪

♪ Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa... ♪

Um, that went to everyone.

- What do you-- - Everyone.

I know this isn't the best time to tell you this, but for future reference, the letter D plus the shift key plus exclamation mark means "direct to all."

( gasps )

( keyboard clacking )

( music playing in background )

- All right, I got everything in my trunk. - Hey.

I didn't have time to tape them all to one sheet, so fill out the expense report for me, will ya?

- Mm. - Hey, any chance you guys carry Anchor Steam?

- Mm-mm. - Well, uh, give me whatever's that's on tap.

That's all I got on me. I'll give you the rest by the end of the week.

Why are you reimbursing me with your own money?

Did you get me that security badge?

You don't need a security badge.

- Why not? - It's after hours.

Isn't that all the more reason I need a security badge?

( cash register dings )

- Joe? - Hmm?

I tried to do this all by the book, but I was getting stonewalled by some half-wit lifer

- who couldn't even understand the concept of passive income. - Oh, unbelievable.

Look, I don't think you understand the concept of good faith.

I knew if I told you I was doing this on the side,

- you'd make a big deal about it. - Oh, "on the side."

No, it is a big deal.

Why didn't you take this to your future father-in-law?

- Okay? It's a great idea. - He wouldn't get my vision the way you did.

It would just be words.

I needed evidence to back it up so he could trust me.

And what better way to earn his trust than to break into his building in the middle of the night and mess with his state-of-the-art mainframe?

- It's a better play. - Oh, it's a better play.

- Does Sara know about this? - She's in Austin for the night.

Mm, all right, well, let's call her up, tell her what we're about to do, and if she's okay with it, then I'm happy to help.

Okay, after we call up Donna and tell her that she'll be leasing her new network from me.

Listen, Donna and I, we don't hide anything from each other.

Great, let's call her up. I'd love to say hi.

You know, I'd like to punch you in the face right now.

Be my guest.

Okay, I lied. I don't know how to use Community.

How is anybody supposed to respect me when you're disrespecting me?

- Did you think about that? - No.

Did you think about that at all when you were messaging with Tom?

No, I-I-- honestly, I wasn't thinking at all.

- Yeah. - Do you want me to go apologize to everyone?

No, don't do that. Don't do anything.

Donna, haven't you ever said something shitty about somebody in private that you'd never say in public?

- That you don't really mean? - That's not what we're talking about.

If you have a problem with Gordon, you come to me.

You don't talk about it behind my back and you don't ever-- don't ever talk about my kids.

- Whoa, are you okay? - Yeah.

- Do you want water? - No, I'm fine.

I just think on top of everything else I have Joanie's flu.

( sighs )

I'm really sorry.

You know that feeling of freedom that you had when you're sending private messages with Tom?

That feeling that you had a place to go where you could say things you wouldn't say in person?

That-- that is the value of Community.

I need you in there.

We're doing the group photo for the "Byte" ad.

I'm doing a take on class photos from high school, and without you two, it looks like the abstinence club of 1985.

Okay.

( distant dog barking )

( sighs )

Okay, guys. Guys, guys, can we put down the beer for, like-- just, like, five minutes?

Five minutes, okay? Okay, you're gonna come right here.

Right here. Put it down over there.

Come here, come here. Get in line.

Wonderboy, right here. Okay, here we go.

- Nice and-- - Whoa.

Sorry. Stand there in the line.

Take a look at this.

Okay. Wait, where's-- where's Bodie, guys?

Eh, he's in the bathroom, Tom.

He's in the bathroom? Well, can someone go get him?

Please? Jesus, guys, I feel like I'm running a nursery here.

Okay, tighten up, guys. Put down the beer.

Okay, here we-- no, no, no, no, no.

Here, you gotta come front and center.

Donna, front and center. Okay?

Okay? Right here. That's great. Thank you.

Okay, this is looking good, guys. Okay, on three.

Big smiles. One, two, three.

Donna, Cameron, that is perfect.

Do you mind lifting the corners of your mouths?

Like a whole lot? Okay? Here we go.

Okay, on three. Lev, Lev, you're blocking Wonderboy.

- Okay? - I can't hear without my glasses.

You can't hear without your glasses.

- Jesus! - Whoa!

I just bought this shirt!

Okay, guys. Wonderboy! Wonderboy!

Wonderboy, just stop, okay?

Everybody just stop. Can we just get together?

Just for, like, one minute?!

Good, great. Big smiles, all right?

Jesus. One, two--

- Whoo-hoo! - ( all laughing )

- That's great. That's great. Thanks. - Did it look good?

- Complete disaster. That's good. - Oui, oui!

- Give me that beer. Give me that beer. - Whoo!

( music playing in background )

Watch out!

Ah! Get down!

- Ah! - Ah! Watch it!

( darts firing )

( shouting )

Wonderboy: Watch out, he's on red team!

Amit: Get him! He's over there.

- Hey, Carl? - Uh, yeah?

Did you take down Community yet?

Oh, um, no, but I promise I'll do it before I leave tonight.

And I'm pretty sober, so...

No, it's... just leave it up for a few more days, okay?

Okay, great, that's good 'cause I'm not at all sober, so...

- Thanks. See ya. - Bodie: Man comin' in.

Coming in! Cover me!

Get your head in the game.

15 seconds. Red team.

You got 15 seconds before I shoot you.

Look out, look out!

"Don't Wanna Lose" playing

- ( dart gun cocks ) - ♪ If you listen close, you might hear the sound ♪

♪ Well, I would never let you down ♪

- ♪ I thought you were a man of action... ♪ - ( groans )

( screams )

♪ Well, come on, baby, come on, give me a little reaction... ♪

- ( both scream ) - Okay, go.

- Okay, got it. - ( shouts )

Careful, behind the desk. Behind the desk! Get him! Get him!

- ( darts shoot ) - ( groans )

Get down. Get down.

( all shouting )

- Hallway's clear. - Oh, God!

- They shot me! He got me. - No!

- ( dart gun clicks ) - ( chuckles )

- Out of ammo. - You're dead.

- ( dart shoots ) - ( groans )

- ( laughs ) - Got him!

- Got your guns, babe. - Ammo.

- Here, take his gun. - Bodie: Lord, help me.

- ( groans ) - Oh, sorry.

Bodie: Cameron, watch out! Take cover!

( screaming )

- I'm hit! - No!

- Ah! - ( both laughing )

Oh, you wanna shoot me so bad.

Why? Because you stopped paying us, but you're still riding all our asses?

- Yeah, something along those lines. - And you're imperious and you're stubborn and you never, ever give constructive criticism.

I get it, I'm a horrible boss.

Actually, I like all that about you.

So... why haven't you taken a shot at me yet?

I don't know.

'Cause I sure as hell want to, but I also kind of want you in the game.

Yeah?

- That's it. - What's it?

This.

We create this game online.

- We can't compete with box games, right? - Yeah.

But what we have going for us is we're networked.

Instead of shooting at a tank or a robot, what if you're shooting at another user on our network?

I mean, human players aren't predictable like a computer-generated enemy.

I mean, how cool would it be if you're looking right at them, eye to eye?

- Your friend is also your enemy. - Yeah.

I mean, who doesn't want to shoot their friend sometimes?

But how would we do the graphics over the network?

We'd have to do-- build half of it on the C64

- and then the other half on our network. - Yes.

And the C64, that can manage the scenery graphics and the player movement, and we can manage the user's location, whether or not they can-- they can see each other, the score, all that sort of thing.

And we'd have to build a protocol between the user's computer and ours

- so that we can control the game graphics. - Yeah, yeah, yeah, of course.

As long as they're short, encoded instructions.

Yeah, to keep the game speed up and--

- ( both scream ) - ( phone ringing )

Jesus! I'm on your team, asshole.

Excuse me, we're trying to work in here.

( both laugh )

- Amit: Hey, where's Rendon? - Bodie: He's dead. I shot him.

Amit: Well, go back and tell him that his date's on the phone.

Bodie: Yo, Tom, a lady's on the phone.

- ( laughs ) - Uh, I gotta go.

Okay, have fun.

( coders chattering )

You're such a gentleman.

Wonderboy: He went back that way! Get him!

( shouting, laughter )

( glasses clatter )

People are gonna be here in two hours.

Yeah, well...

How much longer?

You sound like my girls on a road trip.

You're slower than you used to be.

Well, you want me to slap this thing together like the Giant Pro?

I'm almost done slotting.

Then I gotta upload the hosting and time-sharing options that'll switch the TSO--

That's not on you, the Giant Pro.

No one machine can be everything to every customer.

We're all guessing in the dark to a certain extent.

Yeah, well, I have no idea what consumers want and I'm sick and tired of trying to figure it out.

You know, I wish-- I wish people would just tell me exactly what they want and then I would go and build it.

Like a tailor making a custom suit.

Exactly. I can build anything.

Let me grab you a fresh Coke.

( door opens, closes )

( door opens, closes )

Hey, hey, what happened?

Oh, nothing. I just, uh--

I just fell. I must've tripped.

- On what? - I caught my foot on the edge of the cabinet here.

Look, I'm fine. I'm fine.

Let's just keep going. Look, the sun's almost up.

Hey, Gordon, you don't look so good.

What are you, my mother?

Thanks for the soda.

- ( door opens ) - ( footsteps )

( claps )

- Bosworth: Oh. - Well, you're here early.

Yeah, this one fella was never at home.

Only way to catch him was in his car, in the garage, as he pulled out on his way to work.

( chuckles )

- Here. - You know...

All right.

I'm not gonna ask you to work here again, okay?

I'm telling you.

You start tomorrow. This is your office.

It has an open-door policy, obviously, because it is the kitchen.

- ( imitates explosion ) - Your first task... is I need you to help me run this company better.

Yes, ma'am.

I mean it. I want to be better at this.

( sighs )

When I was 23, my job at Cardiff was to do one thing-- put the hand radio kits in the box for shipment.

That's it. Wasn't even responsible for labeling them.

( laughs )

I just boxed 'em, punched out, and drank beer.

- ( laughs ) - ( sighs )

- ( chuckles ) - ( door opens )

You'll get there.

- ( door closes ) - When?

Hey.

I got the film developed from the-- yeah.

I don't know-- I don't know if there's anything... like, usable in there.

Hey.

( scoffing )

We've howdied, but we ain't shook.

- John Bosworth. - Tom Rendon.

( laughs ) Oh, my God.

( laughing )

And there's your ad right there.

Yeah.

"Play with friends." That's the tag.

Mm.

You're in a good mood.

Your date must have gone well.

Uh, it was terrible, actually.

I had to cut it short.

Aw, she wouldn't put out?

Funny. So funny.

No, I, uh-- well, I couldn't stop thinking about the game.

( groans ) I know, me, too.

( laughs ) I'm sorry.

- Are you okay? - Yeah.

Okay.

Donna, how much longer you gonna be in there?

Donna: I don't know.

Mm.

You know, maybe you should go see a doctor, you know?

Just to rule out anything serious.

No, I think I-- I must've just got what Joanie had.

Well, I got some great news that I think'll make you feel better.

You know that consulting gig I did last night?

Well, I convinced, uh, my contact over there to lease their network to Mutiny for $3 an hour.

Okay, nobody's getting that kind of deal.

You'll be able to run thousands of Community rooms.

How's that for turning lemons into lemonade?

Donna, did you hear me?

Yeah.

I'm sorry.

Um, that is amazing news.

Are you throwing up?

Hmm?

Yeah.

Can you give me a sec?

Yeah, sure.

I'll be in the kitchen.

( sighs )

( music playing )