March 24, 2023 • 36 mins
Aether, Sirius, and Logo stumble upon an eerily advanced institute in the middle of the desert. They encounter the head of the institute, Professor Adder, and his assistant, Eva.
Intra Quest – Created by Michael Freiberg
A production of iHeartRadio and Astrum Media
Executive Produced by Michael Freiberg and iHeartRadio
Co-produced by Adam Raymonda and Chelsea English
Sound Supervisor and Mix by Dennis Dembeck
Sound Design by Dan Timmons
Music by Trey Toy
Episode written by Michael Freiberg
Performances by:
Matthew Broussard | Aether
Mike Lebovitz | Sirius
Myq Kaplan | Logo
Lucie Pohl | Umbra
Featuring:
Carolina Ravassa | Eva
Masa Gibson | Professor Adder
Sean Donnelly | Tiny Toddy
Luke Mones | Verit
Dan Soder | Fritz
Additional Performances by:
Dan Timmons
Director and Head Writer: Michael Freiberg
Writers: Tom Delgado and Will Julian
Story Editor: Chelsea English
Dialogue Editor: Adam Raymonda
Foley: Post Red
Key Art: Rich Davies
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Introquest created by Michael Freiberg, a production of iHeartRadio and
Astro Media Listen with headphones for three D audio. What
(00:29):
is it? Serious? Something else in desert? Either? I hear
it too. It sounds like it might be a personnet
on the dunes. No way logo. We're the only ones
crazy enough to be out here on foot a serious weight? Ah,
(01:00):
it is a person? Hey you? What are you doing
out here? All alone? Trapped? I agree with serious. Something's
not right. We should leave immediately. You're not going to
answer me under whose orders? Huh? Or are you a
coward who can't speak for himself? Either? Don't get too close.
(01:23):
You can't understand me, can you. There's a card pinned
to his college, The Institute of Advanced psycho Being grants
Patient two zero one outdoor walking privileges for good behavior
and successful recovery from his condition, Signed Professor Adder. I
(01:43):
wonder what his condition was? If this is considered successful recovery.
There's a map on the back with directions to the institute.
He's clearly lost, and judging by the stadison, he must
have progressed as well. We need to bring him back.
You can't be serious if we don't him back to
the institute, he'll die out here. I don't think it's
a good idea. This could all be part of some
(02:05):
employ to lure us there. And who would construct an
institute in the middle of a desert. There's only one
way to find out five, but we must proceed with
the utmost caution. Whoa This is it? The Institute of
(02:34):
Advanced psychobeeding. It's a sterile, gray, windowless building, not particularly welcome, serious,
no trust. What if we just knock and leave him
outside the building, they'll still appreciate the gesture. Come on,
we've come this far. We've got to at least go
in serious never sea buildings like this before, whole machinery,
(03:01):
electrical lighting, biometric access. I know some societies are progressed
more rapidly than others, but by any measure, this is
a far outlier. The advanced technology levels of this institute
are rather unsettling. What are you saying, logo, Are you
familiar with this stuff but only from books? It's certainly peculiar,
(03:22):
like we're in another world. Hello, anyone here, we found
one of your patients lost in the desert. Welcome to
the Institute of advanced psychobean. Please remain in the lobby.
The professor will be out shortly. Boys speak, but nobody.
It's an intercom serious. It allows for two way communication
(03:44):
without being physically present in the same space. What loud
ragging boys and walls? I don't know. Hello, I am professor,
add Welcome to the institute. You must be the new arrivals. Actually,
we're just here to return a missing patient. We found
(04:06):
him walking down the wrong side of a doom. Very well,
my research associate. He will take care of him. Eva. Yes,
Professor Rod, a free range patient found its way home.
Return him to the atrium and revoke his privileges. If
(04:28):
he disobeys, you know what to do. Electro shock suppression
and come back when you're done. I have another job
for you right away, Professor. We're so glad to have
you back, safe and sound. You had a s worried say,
come on, I'm sure your friends will be happy to
(04:48):
see you. That's the problem with granting outdoor privileges. Here
at the institute, our patients make great strides with their condition,
(05:08):
think they're cured and never want to come back. Of course,
these pituitous privileges are all Eva's idea, some silly notion
about quality of life. What condition are you treating? Exactly?
At the institute, we treat patients suffering from the most
lethal condition plaguing humanity, Umbra, Umbra. Yes, believe it or not,
(05:38):
we're in the final stages of developing a cure. Really,
nois and war bag again. Either we're done here we
can cure for Umbra. Professor, I've returned patient two zero
one to the atrium. What was the other job you
had for me? Please show our new patience to the
(05:59):
waiting But they don't exhibit any symptoms. We're not sick.
They should be free to goal. I mean the judge
of that. Either cure for I'm bride. What are you
waiting for? Eva joked to them with the electric kettle,
(06:21):
bride and taste them already. What happens? Oh? No, our
packs and saddle at this pieces they took him at
(06:45):
the stars. At least they still have my amulance. They missages.
This isn't the waiting room, it's a prison crapped Okay,
I was wrong. Come into the institute. We have to
get out of here. There's at least twenty prisoners here
(07:08):
with us. If we all band together, we might be
able to break out. Hello, I'm e three. These are
right partners, serious and logo. We've been wrongly imprisoned. I
imagine the same goes for you a lot as well.
This has a call to action. Together, you can rise
up and fight to take back our freedom. Who will
join me? Come on, There's no need to be scared
(07:33):
any longer. This is the time you've been waiting for
ratings next door? Nay first, I'm very resident of holding
cell too. I see you three. You got to sell
to yourselves, lucky you ary? Why is everyone just resigned
to the floor of their cells. Don't you all want
to get out of here? Like us, We've made peace
(07:54):
with the fact that there's no hope of escape. This
is our home now. A word of advice, tipe down down,
But we have to do something. They're listening. They're always listening.
If you don't stop, you'll just make things worse than
they have to be good? Who's with me? Worse? Barret?
(08:15):
How things get worse? If we behave well, they won't
bother us until it's our turn for treatment. Buddy, we're
bad hat. It's a good boy, totty, be a good boy.
He's battling nonsense to himself. He seems highly disturbed. What's
wrong with him? You mean tiny totty good boy? Cotty
(08:37):
good boy. He's been like that for a while now.
Best to ignore it, avoid eye contact. Hat good boy?
What bangs? That's someone we don't like to talk about.
Fritz Fritz Rumor has it Rix was one of the
institute's first patience, suffering from an especially bad case of
(08:59):
umbre He had an extreme adverse reaction to treatment, worsening
his condition. Supposedly, he's now locked up somewhere higher security
and spends his days banging on the walls, waiting for
the day he's released. Only the stars can save us
if Fritz gets out. But don't worry. That will never happen.
But what if Fritz escapes? Try himself. You need to
(09:23):
stand up against this injustice and we re freedom. Someone's
coming with a loose with me trying to hear you out.
Every move is under audio and video surveillance. No one
gets helped the way they came in. Where are they
(09:44):
taking him for an outburst like this? Isolation security either straw.
He will be scared of isolation. That's what they all think.
But until you're left alone in a dark room with
nothing but your thoughts you can't understand and the torture
in there. All you can do is think and wait
(10:04):
and hope the end comes soon. What happened at the end?
You break my happiness? No, they looked, let me else,
(10:31):
let me house, put me out of here. I'm here
with you either, I'm always with you. Feel the walls
close in on you, lose yourself to the deafening stillness,
(10:54):
fade into the darkness that's last, alone with nothing but
your thoughts, the internal turns on them. Hear the blood
burning through your veins, setting farneses gracing to your chest
as your hearts blow, Tighten tighter, tw strips around the
(11:18):
lungs each breath to leave in your gassing for air.
Listen to the pounding of your heart, louder and louder
with every beat, rattling your ribcage, ready to plow. Neurons
fight like flaes across your mind, bringing your ears. They
(11:40):
cloud your senses as you lose yourself in dot feel
yourself fries above your body, floating in space, higher and higher.
To leave this world behind, only the heft of the grounds.
(12:04):
Cry to your mouth, lost shot, unable to open hold
the key to your helpless stop rise, squirmed and trapped
against your grading team blocking your path, run to brainlief
with no one take hear me, scream, choke an, unanswered breaths,
(12:29):
as troubled thoughts, term violence, sid silence, just being injected
with a high grade sedative. When it reaches the brain,
your higher mental functions will suspend all activity, providing temporary
(12:49):
relief and leaving you in a state of deep relaxation.
And here returned around your neck the amulet you were
calling for. I analyzed it in my lab and found
no unique attributory irregularities. It's nothing special, just an ordinary
old necklace. You can have it back. It's of no
interest to me. How do we get out of here?
(13:23):
You don't, There is no escape. Just be thankful your
friend eats antics didn't get us all in trouble. Must
do something. Earlier, you asked, what's wrong with tiny Toddy? Well,
he tried to break free once, made it all the
way to the exit. To teach him a lesson, he
did a week in isolation. He's never been the seen since.
(13:44):
Now a ground drone guards the waiting room's exit. To
make sure there are no copycats. For your own good
and ours. Don't do anything foolish except that this is
our fate. Serious, I don't know what he can do.
Or cameras, cameras like watchguards. But I'm the ceiling constantly
scanning the room. If Timmy Tommy wants escape shadow, there
(14:07):
has to be white out local camera. Not look hit.
You love me to hit. You need to stract groundcoll
I comprehend your reasoning, but I refuse to risk injuring
you serious? You know hurt? Serious? Now? Please can't no harder,
(14:30):
can't harder? Okay, I'm really gonna go for it this
time for either say now my hand? Serious? I think
you broke my hand. We don't get serious. Oh quick.
(15:01):
The access card the card attached to the drugs. It
functions like a piece or this sets pether must be
in one of the isolation chambers on the other side
of the room. Hurry and you're clear of the root
eating cap isolation chamber door. They're all bolted shut with
(15:25):
magnetic locks. There's another door at the end of the hall.
Let's see where it leads. Also magnetic lead sealed this
way open door comic. Serious, Wait, there's a warning high
voltage keep out. I don't know if I stole no choice?
(15:49):
A generator. Generator a machine that produces electric to power
the institute. Huh, I have an idea how to open
the doors. I can override the generator's circuit breaker and
use this dial to increase it voltage, short circuiting the
waiting room surveillance system and forcing open the locked doors.
Free easier Stand at the entrance way and let me
(16:11):
know if it's working right. I'm starting to raise levels anyway?
Oh need more power? Lights blink? But need Okay, but
we have to exercise caution. If we trip the breaker,
degenerator will shut off completely. How about now is going dark?
(16:34):
More serious? It's going to max out. We shouldn't go
any higher. Our doors open, yes, identiz savers omen we
go save me fair? Not all right, but we have
(16:55):
to be careful. With the cells unlocked. The other prisoners
will be free as well. It'll be total pandimonium in there.
Uh you want to stay in themselves? Ah? Either know
in isolation chamber, whole rooms empty. They must have moved it.
We'll have to take the door that leads further into
the institute and keep looking. Get back, get back in yourself.
(17:20):
You'll only bring more suffering. Tony Totty, Please, we need
to get through the door, but we will playing nice,
nice like good boys. Now still punish us twice, going ruin.
You want to pop back in isolation? Never if you
won't return to yourself, I'll bring you there myself, not
(17:49):
the isolation chamber, anything but this, okay? Shall we proceed
onward into the facility and find either ah, where am i?
(18:20):
Professor adder, one of these things attached to my head?
Patient has awakened, neural activity levels returning to normal. Let
me here, let me ask. The process will run smoother
if you relax. You experienced an acute umber attack in
the isolation chamber. I've since had you transported to the
operation room for further evaluation. You chain me to the
(18:44):
surgical table for your own safety. I assure you connected
to your scalp are electrodes that measure and record neural
oscillation patterns to establish a baseline of brainwave activity. Your
results either are spectacular. I've never seen anything quite like it.
Your electrical patterns are scrambled, and there's hyperactivity in the brain.
(19:06):
Here an inversion of the delta and gamma brainwaves. It's
like your subconscious mind has penetrated waking life. I'm not
one of your science experiments. No, you're so much more.
I've examined the minds of hundreds of patients suffering from umbra.
My findings have always been middling at best. Allow me
(19:26):
to explain how the condition functions. From a single mutated neuron,
Umbra infiltrates the mind and spreads through the neural network,
eliminating and rerouting pathways as it corrupts healthy brain activity.
This is observed as personality changes, mental disorders, memory identity impairments,
and so on. The end result as always a complete
(19:49):
corruption of the individual. Up to now, I've only been
able to treat patients with a full reduction in brain activity.
But if I could find a way to trace back
umbra's manifestation to its root in the mind and localize
the point of origin, I could then isolate a source
of the mutation at the neuron level to effectively develop
a cure. The answer is so obvious. Why haven't you?
(20:12):
In all my patients? It was always too late. By
the time I evaluated them, their systems were already flooded
with the umber melody, so I had no hope of
finding the origin point. You, on the other hand, are
an anomaly physically asymptomatic. You don't appear to exhibit any
of the external symptoms, but under duress, your affliction manifests,
(20:35):
and you show all the typical signs of the condition.
You either are the key to finding the cure to Umbra.
That can't be true. It is, but further research is required.
I'll be subjecting you to internal imaging to obtain a
clearer picture of your brain. Before I proceed, I'll need
(20:58):
to remove from you any object items that may contain metal,
starting with your amulet. No, please not again, that oh amulet,
And don't worry. You'll have it back as soon as
we finish the fats. As I guide you into the scanner,
(21:20):
this won't hurt a bit. Beautiful plants like a dream world.
(21:41):
It's some sort of indoor garden, rich with lushed floor
and completely encapsulated in a glass roofed atrium at the
center of the institute. Oh in corner, big fountain, indeed
in ornate grand fountain, getting water high into the air
out of a handcrafted spout sheep like a serpent servants mount.
I call this a utopia, except those people standing at
(22:04):
the other end of the garden appear rather lifeless. Maybe
through garden calm they reach higher spirit. Play serious wrong,
great role, Si man, They're just like the person we
encountered out in the desert. Attention, all patients in the
rehabilitation Adriaan garden. Your afternoon medication will now be dispensed.
(22:28):
Please stand by for distribution a serious it's ammaratively blended
and not get caught or we'll never get either back on.
It's an evil good afternoon and a warmhallo from your
favorite caregiver. Oh you're all too sweet. I come bearing
gifts pill to you. Bit anti help here you got one?
(22:54):
Will you one for you? Open wide my heart? You
look shipper today. Come on gather around, make sure you
all get your medicine to feel better. Here's your phil
sir ah and one poor serious No, you swallowed it.
(23:22):
We have known you. What the effecture? What have you
just done? Oh rbal outburst to patient appears to be
a regressive treatment and effective. Please it's not what it
looks like umbre delusions. Returning patient requires emergency intervention. No, no, no,
I'm not sick. Highly combative will have to be subdued
(23:43):
by electric shop. You can't do this to me. I'm
not sick. I'm not sick. Stop resisting use of cattle
crowd required on. This is for your own good. This
brain scan can't be correct. There should be massive cortical
(24:08):
deterioration and cerebral confusions. But according to the image, the
volume of brain matter has increased. Ha ha. There's even
significant remapping of neural networks in support of hyperactivity. Patient's
mind has re architectured itself for optimal mental processing, peeping
(24:32):
at heightened levels of consciousness rather than corrupt thou'st mind.
Umbra appears to have enhanced it, But for what purpose?
How is it possible the patient coexists with umbra in
a balance state of equilibrium, as anomaly must only be
(24:55):
temporary before it turns parasitic like the rest. Take a
bow either you are bound wonderfully a professor, what's that ault? Ah? Yes,
your amulet return securely around your neck as promised. You've
(25:23):
put me in a precarious situation. On one hand, your
results are troubling. They go against all my prior theories
and research of umbra and the mind, years of work discredited.
On the other hand, they're astonishing. They reveal the mind's
ability to adapt and even thrive with umbra, A paradigm
(25:47):
shift and current understanding. If you think, if you can
understand umberfected science the human tool, you never understand. Of
course I understand. Isn't it obvious? What drives me? I
(26:08):
either suffer from umbra? No, your mind holds the key
to the cure, and I must find it. I have
to go deeper, search further, intracranial examination, a vivid section
(26:29):
to get inside the skull. You will show me the
neuron from which umbra emerges. It's the only way. What's
going on? Eva? I told you I'm not sick. Where
have you taken me? The engine room? Engine room? It's
(26:52):
whether reactor or creates the energy to drive the turbine,
which are then converted by the generator to what is
the electricity power in the institute? But I'm not an
efficient fuel source. I'm barely combustible. Why to bring me here?
The only faith place we can talk? There are no
cameras here, and the noise from the turbine next door
masks us from audio surveillance. What do you want from me?
(27:13):
I want to help. I can't lie to myself any
longer about the terrible things that go on here. I
didn't mean for any of it, but I've been complicit
through it all. Eva, what are you referring to? Professor Adder?
Is my father. Our home wasn't always this desert institute
in a fire life through are members of a united
coalition of the truth seekers, the Bereguard. When I was
(27:34):
a child, we lived at headquarters on an uncharted island
hidden in the middle of the Arabis Ocean. We worked
to narth like secrets, recover long lost truths, and develop
a greater understanding of the world's true nature, all for
the betterment of humanity, and all in pursuit of a
single goal. What goal? We believe that Umbra is only
(27:55):
a symptom of a dying world, not the cause. There's
something bigger behind it, and we were going to find
out what. I still believe they will. Why'd you leave them?
The veregard has zero tolerance for dissenters. In their eyes,
if you're not working towards the goal, you're working against it.
When my mother fell ill to Umbra. She was considered
(28:16):
a liability and exiled from the island. We watched her goal.
My father never forgave himself for this. He grew obsessed
with finding a cure for Umbra. It became his life's work.
Knowing the veregard would put an end to this distraction,
we defected and built this research institute in the far
reaches of the desert. What chain, Why the prison? My
(28:37):
father's intentions were pure. He preached of finding a cure
for Umbra, to end life's miseries and save the sick.
I wanted to help and wanted to believe. When we began,
we were treating ill patients, making real progress. Somehow, somewhere
along the way, he forgot what brought him here. It
was no longer about improving the lives of our patience.
(28:58):
It was success, no matter what the cost. To accelerate
our findings and expand our research, my father began experimenting
on the healthy individuals against their will. I couldn't stop him.
I'm only his assistant at best. I'd free a patient
here and there under the pretense of Outford privileges. It
was never enough, though, I'm powerless to end this, but
maybe I can write just one wrong and help you
(29:20):
save your friend Ether. What the professor doing to him?
He's been transported to the operating room for preliminary testing.
There isn't much time until the procedure begins. We have
to free him. You don't understand Ether's different. He suffers
from umber it but has been able to suppress it.
The professor will kill him. I'll get you to the
operating room to get either back. Then the three of
you need to leave at once, or you'll never have
(29:41):
the chance to get out again. Serious, my other friend
took one of those pills. What were you thinking back
there with that stunt, pretending to be patients? Even if
your acting was believable, which it wasn't. You really thought
I wouldn't recognize you too soon after we met. Just
count yourself lucky with me who bout to you first? Yeah? Well,
(30:01):
is serious going to be okay? It'll be fine. The
patients take a staple of psychotropic pills throughout the day
of that suppressed consciousness and maintain a comatose state. Results
like theirs. Take Moss. Serious, he's a big guy. He
took one water soluble pill. It'll push right out of
his system. At worst case, he gets a bit dopey
and sleeps it off. The atrium garden is perfectly safe.
(30:22):
The grass isn't even real. It's a synthetic rubber polymer.
There's simply nothing to worry about. Okay, getting back to
either what's next? Reaching him isn't going to be easy.
Outside this engine room is the main corridor, which is
divided into two halves by a set of firebars. At
the far end is the operator Okay, when the professor's
(30:43):
in the middle of a procedure, he restricts access to
both the hall and the engines of the operating room,
so nothing can disturb his work. Even my access is restricted.
But just outside the operating room. Also at the end
of the corridor is the control There I can deactivate
the restricted access so we can walk right through the
operating rooms door to either. The control room must not
(31:03):
be easy to reach either ereon quick study, there are
a series of alarm systems in place to alert the
professor of any unauthorized activity in the hall. In the
first half of the corridor, there are cameras monitoring the
area in the middle of this section, leading up to
the fire doors infrared heat sensors detect unusual sights in
non temperature. In the second half of the corridor, past
(31:25):
the fire doors, a rolling drove unent patrols the area.
It's equipped with audio, video and motion detection surveilance. If
a trespasser is detected at any point in the hall,
the system will trigger a full lockdown, stealing off the
perimeter and preventing us from reaching either in time. But
any human made system has flowed, there must be a
weakness we can exploit three to be exact. In the
(31:46):
first section, the camera's roteemed, giving us the chance to
undetected if we timement rights. Okay, noted the second, there's
no surveillance. In the side rooms that bind the main hall.
We can use them to get past the infrared sensors.
Right after the stretch of infrared sensors in the first
half of the hall and just before the fire doors
in the middle of the hall is my mechanics. In it,
I have tools to disable the rolling room that patrols
(32:09):
the second half before. Got it what. Finally, once we
reach the control room, I can deactivate the security system
and reinstate my access, allowing us to scan into the operator.
How do you know? And the one who built it? Okay,
now I'm watching the CONTs get ready to run out
the edgine ready go, you're freeing milt chap colors, Larry shape,
(32:53):
eyes dark or get light h now the bloom blind
(33:33):
body shared hard, heavy, shall feel light salt slash let
shah whiz me m hm. Jelly fish mean jelly fish
(33:58):
need to go onto water or dry out land. He
bought corner when there is ocean from ocean, guard by
sea serpent twelve under ocean surface from water gaps spray
and I'm above. Must return to water, must deepen sea serpent,
(34:21):
must not drive out m can't man caught by something
(34:41):
we know some wandering art jellyfish shock, need to keep
craw richarn waters na ryer int request created by Michael Freiberg,
(35:23):
a production of iHeartRadio and Astro Media Executive Produced by
Michael Freiberg and I Heart Radio co produced by Adam
Raimundo and Chelsea English. Sound supervisor and mix by Dennis Dembeck.
Sound designed by Dan Timmins, Music by Trey Toy, Performances
by Matthew Bursard, Ether, Mike Leibovitz, Serious Mike Kaplan Logo,
(35:47):
Lucy poul Umbra featuring Carolina Vassa, Eva Massa Gibson, Professor Adder,
Sean Donnelly, Tiny Totti, Luke Monez, Barrett, Dan sotor Fritz.
Additional performances by Dan Timmins, director and head writer Michael
freiberch writers Tom Delgado and Rold Julian, story editor Chelsea English,
(36:13):
dialogue editor Adam Raimonda Foley post read full cast and
crew in the description. Find more podcasts from my Heart
Radio on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you
listen to podcasts.
Introquest created by Michael Freiberg, a production of iHeartRadio and
Astro Media Listen with headphones for three D audio. What
(00:29):
is it? Serious? Something else in desert? Either? I hear
it too. It sounds like it might be a personnet
on the dunes. No way logo. We're the only ones
crazy enough to be out here on foot a serious weight? Ah,
(01:00):
it is a person? Hey you? What are you doing
out here? All alone? Trapped? I agree with serious. Something's
not right. We should leave immediately. You're not going to
answer me under whose orders? Huh? Or are you a
coward who can't speak for himself? Either? Don't get too close.
(01:23):
You can't understand me, can you. There's a card pinned
to his college, The Institute of Advanced psycho Being grants
Patient two zero one outdoor walking privileges for good behavior
and successful recovery from his condition, Signed Professor Adder. I
(01:43):
wonder what his condition was? If this is considered successful recovery.
There's a map on the back with directions to the institute.
He's clearly lost, and judging by the stadison, he must
have progressed as well. We need to bring him back.
You can't be serious if we don't him back to
the institute, he'll die out here. I don't think it's
a good idea. This could all be part of some
(02:05):
employ to lure us there. And who would construct an
institute in the middle of a desert. There's only one
way to find out five, but we must proceed with
the utmost caution. Whoa This is it? The Institute of
(02:34):
Advanced psychobeeding. It's a sterile, gray, windowless building, not particularly welcome, serious,
no trust. What if we just knock and leave him
outside the building, they'll still appreciate the gesture. Come on,
we've come this far. We've got to at least go
in serious never sea buildings like this before, whole machinery,
(03:01):
electrical lighting, biometric access. I know some societies are progressed
more rapidly than others, but by any measure, this is
a far outlier. The advanced technology levels of this institute
are rather unsettling. What are you saying, logo, Are you
familiar with this stuff but only from books? It's certainly peculiar,
(03:22):
like we're in another world. Hello, anyone here, we found
one of your patients lost in the desert. Welcome to
the Institute of advanced psychobean. Please remain in the lobby.
The professor will be out shortly. Boys speak, but nobody.
It's an intercom serious. It allows for two way communication
(03:44):
without being physically present in the same space. What loud
ragging boys and walls? I don't know. Hello, I am professor,
add Welcome to the institute. You must be the new arrivals. Actually,
we're just here to return a missing patient. We found
(04:06):
him walking down the wrong side of a doom. Very well,
my research associate. He will take care of him. Eva. Yes,
Professor Rod, a free range patient found its way home.
Return him to the atrium and revoke his privileges. If
(04:28):
he disobeys, you know what to do. Electro shock suppression
and come back when you're done. I have another job
for you right away, Professor. We're so glad to have
you back, safe and sound. You had a s worried say,
come on, I'm sure your friends will be happy to
(04:48):
see you. That's the problem with granting outdoor privileges. Here
at the institute, our patients make great strides with their condition,
(05:08):
think they're cured and never want to come back. Of course,
these pituitous privileges are all Eva's idea, some silly notion
about quality of life. What condition are you treating? Exactly?
At the institute, we treat patients suffering from the most
lethal condition plaguing humanity, Umbra, Umbra. Yes, believe it or not,
(05:38):
we're in the final stages of developing a cure. Really,
nois and war bag again. Either we're done here we
can cure for Umbra. Professor, I've returned patient two zero
one to the atrium. What was the other job you
had for me? Please show our new patience to the
(05:59):
waiting But they don't exhibit any symptoms. We're not sick.
They should be free to goal. I mean the judge
of that. Either cure for I'm bride. What are you
waiting for? Eva joked to them with the electric kettle,
(06:21):
bride and taste them already. What happens? Oh? No, our
packs and saddle at this pieces they took him at
(06:45):
the stars. At least they still have my amulance. They missages.
This isn't the waiting room, it's a prison crapped Okay,
I was wrong. Come into the institute. We have to
get out of here. There's at least twenty prisoners here
(07:08):
with us. If we all band together, we might be
able to break out. Hello, I'm e three. These are
right partners, serious and logo. We've been wrongly imprisoned. I
imagine the same goes for you a lot as well.
This has a call to action. Together, you can rise
up and fight to take back our freedom. Who will
join me? Come on, There's no need to be scared
(07:33):
any longer. This is the time you've been waiting for
ratings next door? Nay first, I'm very resident of holding
cell too. I see you three. You got to sell
to yourselves, lucky you ary? Why is everyone just resigned
to the floor of their cells. Don't you all want
to get out of here? Like us, We've made peace
(07:54):
with the fact that there's no hope of escape. This
is our home now. A word of advice, tipe down down,
But we have to do something. They're listening. They're always listening.
If you don't stop, you'll just make things worse than
they have to be good? Who's with me? Worse? Barret?
(08:15):
How things get worse? If we behave well, they won't
bother us until it's our turn for treatment. Buddy, we're
bad hat. It's a good boy, totty, be a good boy.
He's battling nonsense to himself. He seems highly disturbed. What's
wrong with him? You mean tiny totty good boy? Cotty
(08:37):
good boy. He's been like that for a while now.
Best to ignore it, avoid eye contact. Hat good boy?
What bangs? That's someone we don't like to talk about.
Fritz Fritz Rumor has it Rix was one of the
institute's first patience, suffering from an especially bad case of
(08:59):
umbre He had an extreme adverse reaction to treatment, worsening
his condition. Supposedly, he's now locked up somewhere higher security
and spends his days banging on the walls, waiting for
the day he's released. Only the stars can save us
if Fritz gets out. But don't worry. That will never happen.
But what if Fritz escapes? Try himself. You need to
(09:23):
stand up against this injustice and we re freedom. Someone's
coming with a loose with me trying to hear you out.
Every move is under audio and video surveillance. No one
gets helped the way they came in. Where are they
(09:44):
taking him for an outburst like this? Isolation security either straw.
He will be scared of isolation. That's what they all think.
But until you're left alone in a dark room with
nothing but your thoughts you can't understand and the torture
in there. All you can do is think and wait
(10:04):
and hope the end comes soon. What happened at the end?
You break my happiness? No, they looked, let me else,
(10:31):
let me house, put me out of here. I'm here
with you either, I'm always with you. Feel the walls
close in on you, lose yourself to the deafening stillness,
(10:54):
fade into the darkness that's last, alone with nothing but
your thoughts, the internal turns on them. Hear the blood
burning through your veins, setting farneses gracing to your chest
as your hearts blow, Tighten tighter, tw strips around the
(11:18):
lungs each breath to leave in your gassing for air.
Listen to the pounding of your heart, louder and louder
with every beat, rattling your ribcage, ready to plow. Neurons
fight like flaes across your mind, bringing your ears. They
(11:40):
cloud your senses as you lose yourself in dot feel
yourself fries above your body, floating in space, higher and higher.
To leave this world behind, only the heft of the grounds.
(12:04):
Cry to your mouth, lost shot, unable to open hold
the key to your helpless stop rise, squirmed and trapped
against your grading team blocking your path, run to brainlief
with no one take hear me, scream, choke an, unanswered breaths,
(12:29):
as troubled thoughts, term violence, sid silence, just being injected
with a high grade sedative. When it reaches the brain,
your higher mental functions will suspend all activity, providing temporary
(12:49):
relief and leaving you in a state of deep relaxation.
And here returned around your neck the amulet you were
calling for. I analyzed it in my lab and found
no unique attributory irregularities. It's nothing special, just an ordinary
old necklace. You can have it back. It's of no
interest to me. How do we get out of here?
(13:23):
You don't, There is no escape. Just be thankful your
friend eats antics didn't get us all in trouble. Must
do something. Earlier, you asked, what's wrong with tiny Toddy? Well,
he tried to break free once, made it all the
way to the exit. To teach him a lesson, he
did a week in isolation. He's never been the seen since.
(13:44):
Now a ground drone guards the waiting room's exit. To
make sure there are no copycats. For your own good
and ours. Don't do anything foolish except that this is
our fate. Serious, I don't know what he can do.
Or cameras, cameras like watchguards. But I'm the ceiling constantly
scanning the room. If Timmy Tommy wants escape shadow, there
(14:07):
has to be white out local camera. Not look hit.
You love me to hit. You need to stract groundcoll
I comprehend your reasoning, but I refuse to risk injuring
you serious? You know hurt? Serious? Now? Please can't no harder,
(14:30):
can't harder? Okay, I'm really gonna go for it this
time for either say now my hand? Serious? I think
you broke my hand. We don't get serious. Oh quick.
(15:01):
The access card the card attached to the drugs. It
functions like a piece or this sets pether must be
in one of the isolation chambers on the other side
of the room. Hurry and you're clear of the root
eating cap isolation chamber door. They're all bolted shut with
(15:25):
magnetic locks. There's another door at the end of the hall.
Let's see where it leads. Also magnetic lead sealed this
way open door comic. Serious, Wait, there's a warning high
voltage keep out. I don't know if I stole no choice?
(15:49):
A generator. Generator a machine that produces electric to power
the institute. Huh, I have an idea how to open
the doors. I can override the generator's circuit breaker and
use this dial to increase it voltage, short circuiting the
waiting room surveillance system and forcing open the locked doors.
Free easier Stand at the entrance way and let me
(16:11):
know if it's working right. I'm starting to raise levels anyway?
Oh need more power? Lights blink? But need Okay, but
we have to exercise caution. If we trip the breaker,
degenerator will shut off completely. How about now is going dark?
(16:34):
More serious? It's going to max out. We shouldn't go
any higher. Our doors open, yes, identiz savers omen we
go save me fair? Not all right, but we have
(16:55):
to be careful. With the cells unlocked. The other prisoners
will be free as well. It'll be total pandimonium in there.
Uh you want to stay in themselves? Ah? Either know
in isolation chamber, whole rooms empty. They must have moved it.
We'll have to take the door that leads further into
the institute and keep looking. Get back, get back in yourself.
(17:20):
You'll only bring more suffering. Tony Totty, Please, we need
to get through the door, but we will playing nice,
nice like good boys. Now still punish us twice, going ruin.
You want to pop back in isolation? Never if you
won't return to yourself, I'll bring you there myself, not
(17:49):
the isolation chamber, anything but this, okay? Shall we proceed
onward into the facility and find either ah, where am i?
(18:20):
Professor adder, one of these things attached to my head?
Patient has awakened, neural activity levels returning to normal. Let
me here, let me ask. The process will run smoother
if you relax. You experienced an acute umber attack in
the isolation chamber. I've since had you transported to the
operation room for further evaluation. You chain me to the
(18:44):
surgical table for your own safety. I assure you connected
to your scalp are electrodes that measure and record neural
oscillation patterns to establish a baseline of brainwave activity. Your
results either are spectacular. I've never seen anything quite like it.
Your electrical patterns are scrambled, and there's hyperactivity in the brain.
(19:06):
Here an inversion of the delta and gamma brainwaves. It's
like your subconscious mind has penetrated waking life. I'm not
one of your science experiments. No, you're so much more.
I've examined the minds of hundreds of patients suffering from umbra.
My findings have always been middling at best. Allow me
(19:26):
to explain how the condition functions. From a single mutated neuron,
Umbra infiltrates the mind and spreads through the neural network,
eliminating and rerouting pathways as it corrupts healthy brain activity.
This is observed as personality changes, mental disorders, memory identity impairments,
and so on. The end result as always a complete
(19:49):
corruption of the individual. Up to now, I've only been
able to treat patients with a full reduction in brain activity.
But if I could find a way to trace back
umbra's manifestation to its root in the mind and localize
the point of origin, I could then isolate a source
of the mutation at the neuron level to effectively develop
a cure. The answer is so obvious. Why haven't you?
(20:12):
In all my patients? It was always too late. By
the time I evaluated them, their systems were already flooded
with the umber melody, so I had no hope of
finding the origin point. You, on the other hand, are
an anomaly physically asymptomatic. You don't appear to exhibit any
of the external symptoms, but under duress, your affliction manifests,
(20:35):
and you show all the typical signs of the condition.
You either are the key to finding the cure to Umbra.
That can't be true. It is, but further research is required.
I'll be subjecting you to internal imaging to obtain a
clearer picture of your brain. Before I proceed, I'll need
(20:58):
to remove from you any object items that may contain metal,
starting with your amulet. No, please not again, that oh amulet,
And don't worry. You'll have it back as soon as
we finish the fats. As I guide you into the scanner,
(21:20):
this won't hurt a bit. Beautiful plants like a dream world.
(21:41):
It's some sort of indoor garden, rich with lushed floor
and completely encapsulated in a glass roofed atrium at the
center of the institute. Oh in corner, big fountain, indeed
in ornate grand fountain, getting water high into the air
out of a handcrafted spout sheep like a serpent servants mount.
I call this a utopia, except those people standing at
(22:04):
the other end of the garden appear rather lifeless. Maybe
through garden calm they reach higher spirit. Play serious wrong,
great role, Si man, They're just like the person we
encountered out in the desert. Attention, all patients in the
rehabilitation Adriaan garden. Your afternoon medication will now be dispensed.
(22:28):
Please stand by for distribution a serious it's ammaratively blended
and not get caught or we'll never get either back on.
It's an evil good afternoon and a warmhallo from your
favorite caregiver. Oh you're all too sweet. I come bearing
gifts pill to you. Bit anti help here you got one?
(22:54):
Will you one for you? Open wide my heart? You
look shipper today. Come on gather around, make sure you
all get your medicine to feel better. Here's your phil
sir ah and one poor serious No, you swallowed it.
(23:22):
We have known you. What the effecture? What have you
just done? Oh rbal outburst to patient appears to be
a regressive treatment and effective. Please it's not what it
looks like umbre delusions. Returning patient requires emergency intervention. No, no, no,
I'm not sick. Highly combative will have to be subdued
(23:43):
by electric shop. You can't do this to me. I'm
not sick. I'm not sick. Stop resisting use of cattle
crowd required on. This is for your own good. This
brain scan can't be correct. There should be massive cortical
(24:08):
deterioration and cerebral confusions. But according to the image, the
volume of brain matter has increased. Ha ha. There's even
significant remapping of neural networks in support of hyperactivity. Patient's
mind has re architectured itself for optimal mental processing, peeping
(24:32):
at heightened levels of consciousness rather than corrupt thou'st mind.
Umbra appears to have enhanced it, But for what purpose?
How is it possible the patient coexists with umbra in
a balance state of equilibrium, as anomaly must only be
(24:55):
temporary before it turns parasitic like the rest. Take a
bow either you are bound wonderfully a professor, what's that ault? Ah? Yes,
your amulet return securely around your neck as promised. You've
(25:23):
put me in a precarious situation. On one hand, your
results are troubling. They go against all my prior theories
and research of umbra and the mind, years of work discredited.
On the other hand, they're astonishing. They reveal the mind's
ability to adapt and even thrive with umbra, A paradigm
(25:47):
shift and current understanding. If you think, if you can
understand umberfected science the human tool, you never understand. Of
course I understand. Isn't it obvious? What drives me? I
(26:08):
either suffer from umbra? No, your mind holds the key
to the cure, and I must find it. I have
to go deeper, search further, intracranial examination, a vivid section
(26:29):
to get inside the skull. You will show me the
neuron from which umbra emerges. It's the only way. What's
going on? Eva? I told you I'm not sick. Where
have you taken me? The engine room? Engine room? It's
(26:52):
whether reactor or creates the energy to drive the turbine,
which are then converted by the generator to what is
the electricity power in the institute? But I'm not an
efficient fuel source. I'm barely combustible. Why to bring me here?
The only faith place we can talk? There are no
cameras here, and the noise from the turbine next door
masks us from audio surveillance. What do you want from me?
(27:13):
I want to help. I can't lie to myself any
longer about the terrible things that go on here. I
didn't mean for any of it, but I've been complicit
through it all. Eva, what are you referring to? Professor Adder?
Is my father. Our home wasn't always this desert institute
in a fire life through are members of a united
coalition of the truth seekers, the Bereguard. When I was
(27:34):
a child, we lived at headquarters on an uncharted island
hidden in the middle of the Arabis Ocean. We worked
to narth like secrets, recover long lost truths, and develop
a greater understanding of the world's true nature, all for
the betterment of humanity, and all in pursuit of a
single goal. What goal? We believe that Umbra is only
(27:55):
a symptom of a dying world, not the cause. There's
something bigger behind it, and we were going to find
out what. I still believe they will. Why'd you leave them?
The veregard has zero tolerance for dissenters. In their eyes,
if you're not working towards the goal, you're working against it.
When my mother fell ill to Umbra. She was considered
(28:16):
a liability and exiled from the island. We watched her goal.
My father never forgave himself for this. He grew obsessed
with finding a cure for Umbra. It became his life's work.
Knowing the veregard would put an end to this distraction,
we defected and built this research institute in the far
reaches of the desert. What chain, Why the prison? My
(28:37):
father's intentions were pure. He preached of finding a cure
for Umbra, to end life's miseries and save the sick.
I wanted to help and wanted to believe. When we began,
we were treating ill patients, making real progress. Somehow, somewhere
along the way, he forgot what brought him here. It
was no longer about improving the lives of our patience.
(28:58):
It was success, no matter what the cost. To accelerate
our findings and expand our research, my father began experimenting
on the healthy individuals against their will. I couldn't stop him.
I'm only his assistant at best. I'd free a patient
here and there under the pretense of Outford privileges. It
was never enough, though, I'm powerless to end this, but
maybe I can write just one wrong and help you
(29:20):
save your friend Ether. What the professor doing to him?
He's been transported to the operating room for preliminary testing.
There isn't much time until the procedure begins. We have
to free him. You don't understand Ether's different. He suffers
from umber it but has been able to suppress it.
The professor will kill him. I'll get you to the
operating room to get either back. Then the three of
you need to leave at once, or you'll never have
(29:41):
the chance to get out again. Serious, my other friend
took one of those pills. What were you thinking back
there with that stunt, pretending to be patients? Even if
your acting was believable, which it wasn't. You really thought
I wouldn't recognize you too soon after we met. Just
count yourself lucky with me who bout to you first? Yeah? Well,
(30:01):
is serious going to be okay? It'll be fine. The
patients take a staple of psychotropic pills throughout the day
of that suppressed consciousness and maintain a comatose state. Results
like theirs. Take Moss. Serious, he's a big guy. He
took one water soluble pill. It'll push right out of
his system. At worst case, he gets a bit dopey
and sleeps it off. The atrium garden is perfectly safe.
(30:22):
The grass isn't even real. It's a synthetic rubber polymer.
There's simply nothing to worry about. Okay, getting back to
either what's next? Reaching him isn't going to be easy.
Outside this engine room is the main corridor, which is
divided into two halves by a set of firebars. At
the far end is the operator Okay, when the professor's
(30:43):
in the middle of a procedure, he restricts access to
both the hall and the engines of the operating room,
so nothing can disturb his work. Even my access is restricted.
But just outside the operating room. Also at the end
of the corridor is the control There I can deactivate
the restricted access so we can walk right through the
operating rooms door to either. The control room must not
(31:03):
be easy to reach either ereon quick study, there are
a series of alarm systems in place to alert the
professor of any unauthorized activity in the hall. In the
first half of the corridor, there are cameras monitoring the
area in the middle of this section, leading up to
the fire doors infrared heat sensors detect unusual sights in
non temperature. In the second half of the corridor, past
(31:25):
the fire doors, a rolling drove unent patrols the area.
It's equipped with audio, video and motion detection surveilance. If
a trespasser is detected at any point in the hall,
the system will trigger a full lockdown, stealing off the
perimeter and preventing us from reaching either in time. But
any human made system has flowed, there must be a
weakness we can exploit three to be exact. In the
(31:46):
first section, the camera's roteemed, giving us the chance to
undetected if we timement rights. Okay, noted the second, there's
no surveillance. In the side rooms that bind the main hall.
We can use them to get past the infrared sensors.
Right after the stretch of infrared sensors in the first
half of the hall and just before the fire doors
in the middle of the hall is my mechanics. In it,
I have tools to disable the rolling room that patrols
(32:09):
the second half before. Got it what. Finally, once we
reach the control room, I can deactivate the security system
and reinstate my access, allowing us to scan into the operator.
How do you know? And the one who built it? Okay,
now I'm watching the CONTs get ready to run out
the edgine ready go, you're freeing milt chap colors, Larry shape,
(32:53):
eyes dark or get light h now the bloom blind
(33:33):
body shared hard, heavy, shall feel light salt slash let
shah whiz me m hm. Jelly fish mean jelly fish
(33:58):
need to go onto water or dry out land. He
bought corner when there is ocean from ocean, guard by
sea serpent twelve under ocean surface from water gaps spray
and I'm above. Must return to water, must deepen sea serpent,
(34:21):
must not drive out m can't man caught by something
(34:41):
we know some wandering art jellyfish shock, need to keep
craw richarn waters na ryer int request created by Michael Freiberg,
(35:23):
a production of iHeartRadio and Astro Media Executive Produced by
Michael Freiberg and I Heart Radio co produced by Adam
Raimundo and Chelsea English. Sound supervisor and mix by Dennis Dembeck.
Sound designed by Dan Timmins, Music by Trey Toy, Performances
by Matthew Bursard, Ether, Mike Leibovitz, Serious Mike Kaplan Logo,
(35:47):
Lucy poul Umbra featuring Carolina Vassa, Eva Massa Gibson, Professor Adder,
Sean Donnelly, Tiny Totti, Luke Monez, Barrett, Dan sotor Fritz.
Additional performances by Dan Timmins, director and head writer Michael
freiberch writers Tom Delgado and Rold Julian, story editor Chelsea English,
(36:13):
dialogue editor Adam Raimonda Foley post read full cast and
crew in the description. Find more podcasts from my Heart
Radio on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you
listen to podcasts.
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