Reports of a biological threat have...
The epidemic...
Unknown biological...
There's no official word for this...
...secret extermination effort undertaken by members...
Unexplained underground explosion...
As rescue crews insisted...
...witnesses claim was insect-like in nature...
MTA officials continue to deny...
the existence of a mutant...
...to deny the existence...
of a mutant strain of cockroach...
engineered by scientists...
Taxi!
Hey, Klaski, nice of you to join us all on your day off.
All right, you punk!
Why am I here, Cleeland?
You'll see.
Over here we have our taxi driver, Mr. Colm...
who plowed into a Mr. Trahn over there...
who was carrying a suitcase...
filled with about 75 pounds of dirt.
Dirt?
Wait, it gets better.
His body was totally evacuated.
Cleeland...
- Eviscerated. - Whatever.
Yeah, I've seen this before.
It happens with this kind of impact.
Yeah? You ever seen this before?
Flip him.
Every insect lives for just one purpose...
survival of its own kind.
Take our ants here for example.
They spend their whole lives...
building this wonderful colony for their queen...
but she never comes.
Why not?
Well, it's against the law to have a fertile queen...
because we'd be overrun with babies.
So instead, they just die off...
burying each other in these mounds...
until there's only one left standing...
and that last soldier goes on alone...
with nothing left to live for... or fight for.
No one left to even bury him when he dies.
Since we spent the last three weeks...
learning about various types of insects and their habitats...
I want each of you to choose an insect and write a report...
describing what your life would be like as that insect.
And I want it tomorrow!
Out, out, out! Out, out, out!
No! No, I mean it. Stop jumping in the puddle.
No.
Fight, fight, fight!
No fight. Nobody has to fight.
Leon!
Diego, what's the matter?
Are you OK? Come on.
I live in the ground. My family's all dead.
Sometimes it makes me feel sad and lonely.
Sometimes it makes me feel angry.
I think about the other insects. Do they have families, too?
I want to know if they're happy...
'cause if they are happy, I want to hurt them.
Is that all, Sal?
That's all, Miss Panos.
One more year.
Hell, I'll be glad to see it go.
This building's dying one room at a time.
Don't you think after 20 years...
you're going to miss it just a bit?
Are you kiddin'?
I am goin' to ride the wreckin' ball.
Just kiddin'.
No, no, no. The only thing I'm gonna miss...
around this place is you.
Yo, Remi.
Still Miss Panos to you, Nicky.
Yeah, yeah, Miss Panos.
What's with the shiner?
Forgot to duck.
Your old man again?
Yeah. So, listen. I was wonderin'...
you want to go out sometime or somethin'?
No.
Why not? I ain't your student no more, so what's the problem?
The problem. Well, it starts with jail time.
It goes rapidly downhill from there.
It would be our secret.
Here's another secret... I already have a boyfriend.
Get out of here. You?
What? Is that so hard to imagine?
No, I mean, who is he?
His name? His name is Noyb.
Noyb? What kind of name is that?
None of your business. Pheromones.
None of your... I got it. Noyb.
This is Remi. I can't take your call...
but if you leave a message, I'll get back to you...
unless you're Jason, in which case...
please don't make me get an unlisted phone number.
I thought I heard my name.
You did, Jason, but you wouldn't appreciate the context.
Can I come in?
I'm actually goin' out.
I just want to talk.
About what?
Us.
We've been on one date, Jason.
You can't have an us after one date.
You can only have a stalker situation.
Am I clear on that?
That hurts me.
Subtle doesn't seem to cut it with you, Jason.
You know, I'm not one of your goddamn insects, Remi.
You know what I'm sayin'?
Bye.
You're right about one thing. Subtle doesn't cut it with me.
Oh, God. I'm a wacko magnet.
Sorry. Excuse me.
Now, your common household cockroach...
takes it a step further.
Not only does he use food to attract a female...
but he mounts her as soon as she dips down to eat it.
Of course, more often than not...
he can't find her external genitalia...
through all that body armor...
so dinner ends up being kind of a bust...
from a biological perspective.
Now, your common female bed bug...
needs no external genitalia whatsoever.
The male simply impales her wherever he wants...
and if she's lucky enough to survive the experience...
she may actually reproduce.
You can always tell the number of times she's mated...
by counting the scars.
Some more wine?
Well, sorry for goin' off at the mouth like that.
It's... That was getting a little bit schized.
Hey, schized works for me.
Well, anyway, thanks for a really nice evening.
Are you sure you don't want to grab a night cap?
It's a school night.
So? Whatever happened to a little extra credit?
Let go, Phillip.
Remi...
What the hell?
Hey!
I don't feel so good.
Fluffy! What are you barkin' at?
Come here!
What do you want?
Just a moment of your time... please.
I keep meaning to talk to the landlord about this.
OK, I tell you what.
Let me do it. I got it. OK.
All right.
You're an etymologist, right?
That means you're into bugs.
I'll... Yeah.
You really like these crusty little bastards?
I admire their simplicity.
They are what they are no matter how you dress 'em up.
Not like people, you mean.
Yeah. Not like people.
Well, you know, I should probably...
pay a little more attention to our insect friends...
instead of whacking 'em with my shoe.
If you're serious and not just patronizing me...
there's a book called "The Secret Life of Bugs"...
that you might find interesting.
Really? Oh, yeah? That's a real page-turner?
It better be. I wrote it.
So, what exactly are you searching for, Detective?
Well, right now I'm searching for some information...
on a guy named Lincoln Trahn.
I heard what happened.
He was a colleague of yours, right?
Colleague? Lincoln Trahn sold endangered species...
on the black market.
At least 200 species of arthropod...
are now extinct thanks to Lincoln Trahn.
So he was an enemy, I mean on a professional level.
I can't say I miss him.
What are you writing?
It's a... grocery list.
No. No, wait a minute.
I didn't hate him like that.
Like what?
You guys work on a quota system?
Ten bucks a suspect, something like that?
I'm real terribly sorry...
to have troubled you, Miss Panos.
Thank you.
You're wagging your antenna...
in the wrong direction, Detective.
Thank you very much for your hospitality.
Good night.
Yeah, I had a problem with Jason Mundy.
He was a creep. Just ask my front door.
You know, besides rating low on your likability list...
Jason Mundy and Lincoln Trahn...
they had something else in common.
You want to guess what that is?
No.
They were both missing their faces.
You know, I'm not really a shrink...
but I'd have to say that...
you really have to hate looking at someone...
to want to rip his face clean off.
This... this is crazy.
You know, one of your...
one of your close friends describes you here as...
"Pathologically unable to sustain...
a proximate intrapersonal relationship...
with anything that walks on two legs."
Yeah, I had to bring home a Webster's for that one.
Am I under arrest?
No.
I don't need the ten bucks quite that bad, yet.
So, she's your basic predatory lesbo.
How do you figure that?
Well, she's a babe... A.
B... she don't like guys.
C... she rips their fuckin' faces off.
Ergo lesbo.
Hey, check this out. Missing persons.
Came over the wire this morning.
Poor schnook was last seen with your bug lady...
down at Remington's on 88.
Ask me, we got ourselves a perp.
Yeah. Hey, Cleeland, do me a favor, will you?
Hand me that desk over there while you're up, OK?
Homicide.
You're a real wacko, you know that, Klaski?
Yeah. No, really. Hand that over.
Fuck off.
Give me the goddamn desk.
That desk weighs over 200 pounds, asshole.
So did Jason Mundy.
Now, if you can tell me how a 112-pound woman...
picked him up and chucked him over a fuckin' lamppost...
I will give you a prime suspect.
Listen, Remi, I know this is probably...
all a big misunderstanding...
but you can't blame some of the parents for over reacting.
- You told them? - I...
Jesus, Morrie, you told them.
You know I'm doing everything I can...
to set the record straight.
Of course you are...
even though you find me pathologically unable...
to sustain a proximate intrapersonal relationship...
whatever the hell that means.
But you think I said that?
You're the only pompous blow hard I know, Morrie.
You'll have my resignation in the morning...
if you don't fire me first.
Hello?
You hurt? You hungry?
You want somethin' else, Lou?
Nah. I gotta get back to the school.
The gum is hardening under those chairs as we speak.
Yeah. You want a box for that?
No, no. I got it.
Yeah? Suit yourself.
All right. Well, I will see you later.
- Good night, Lou. - Good-bye.
To think you could've been building sand castles in Bali.
Sal.
He's dead, isn't he?
Didn't your aunt come pick you up yet?
Well, where have you been?
Around.
It's after 6:00.
Come on. Let's go give her a call.
She's not home yet.
Well, where is she?
She said she'd be here around 6:30, 7:00.
Sal.
She works late on Thursdays.
We'll wait till 7:00...
and then I'm taking you home myself.
You understand?
Are you hungry?
I've got some sunflower seeds and some gum.
You're leaving, aren't you?
- Excuse me? - You quitting?
I might be... for a while. I don't know.
There's some things goin'on right now...
I don't have a whole lot of control over.
Can I come with you?
No, Sal, I'm sorry. I really am.
Oh, God.
Hi, fellas. How are you doin'?
I'm gonna have to ask you to clear the premises, sir.
Really?
Security matter.
Department of Defense.
Well, I tell you what.
Why don't we call it career day, OK?
And you and I compare notes. How about that?
You're more than welcome to continue your investigation...
when we're done with ours, Detective Klotski.
Klaski. Done with what?
Since when are three local homicides a military deal?
I got somethin' here.
Excuse me.
What the hell? Is that semen?
I'm talkin' here.
All right, pal. Just lay off, OK?
Obviously, you know I'm not at liberty...
to discuss procedural matters with you...
but I would like to leave you with this one thought...
the days of cleaning up New York with a gun and a toothpick...
are over.
That's it. She's way overdue.
Let's go.
What the... Who did this?
Was it here when you came in?
No.
Lou!
Hey, Lou!
Lou!
Remi? What... what's goin'on?
What the hell is all this?
What do you think, Morrie? It's a prank. Where's Lou?
Well, I haven't seen him.
The mop closet door is open...
so he's probably around here somewhere.
Well, maybe you could get him over here?
No... I'll get you out.
You just stand back.
Morrie, don't try movin' that stuff by yourself.
It's too heavy.
Au contraire, my sweet.
I've been working out.
Pilates. You should try it.
Not only am I 40% stronger...
I'm like a spider monkey in bed now.
I'm sure Sal Geary here is real impressed...
aren't you, Sal?
How are you, kid?
I'm sorry about that now.
Don't you worry about a thing.
We're gonna get you out of here in two shakes, OK?
Morrie? Morrie!
Remi! Remi!
Run!
Let's go! Come on!
Get up. Get up.
Go!
It can't be. It's just not possible.
They're all dead.
Come on.
Stay here.
Oh, my God. Nicky!
Remi. Oh, shit. Miss Panos.
What are you doing here?
He hides here from his dad.
Did you see anything?
What?
Never mind. How'd you get in here?
You just pull that.
Narc-ass piece of shit.
You two, go to the door and keep an eye on the hall.
Why?
'Cause I'm the fucking teacher, and I said so!
What are you doing?
Seeing if it's out there.
If what's out there?
Run! Go! Get out of here!
I'm gonna get sick.
Save it. Come on.
Holy... Look at this guy over there.
Is he still movin'?
Scan to the right. One of his trails.
Up that pipe.
No, that pipe. Up, up toward the window.
Oh, my God. Look at that.
Oh, my God.
We've got the mother lode here, boys.
What the hell was that, Remi?
Help me get this door!
OK. Nicky, do you have a light?
- What? - A match! Something.
Yeah. What?
What are we doin' down here, Remi?
Remi. What the hell was that?
Are you gonna answer me, Remi?
Do you remember how not so long ago...
a lot of children were sick...
from a terrible disease spread by cockroaches?
Yeah, sort of.
We created a new breed of insect...
we hoped would make the roaches die out.
Well, not all of 'em died.
Some of 'em kept on mutating, changing.
Into people?
Not really. You see, some insects...
overtime they evolve to look and act like other insects.
It's a way of confusing their natural enemies.
We call them mimics.
But these particular guys didn't evolve...
to just look like another bug or animal.
They evolved to mimic their only real predator... us.
Looks kind of like Lou, the janitor.
No, Sal. That's not possible.
They can't mimic specific people.
I don't know. You ask me, that's Lou's face.
No. That's not possible.
Oh, fuck!
Come on. Wake up.
We'll be OK, Sal. I promise.
Remember, it's not a monster. It's an insect...
and insects, they behave in very predictable ways.
It has no reason to hurt us. Understand?
I stood as close as I'm standing to you right now...
and it didn't hurt me.
What about Mr. Deaver?
Well, I think what Mr. Deaver did...
Have you ever poked a bee's nest...
and all the bees, they fly out and try to sting you?
It's because you disturbed their nest.
They're just acting on instinct.
Are we in the nest?
In a way. In a way, yes, I think we are.
That's why we have to be very careful not to disturb it.
Do we have to stay in here?
No. Not long.
Just long enough to figure out the best way to leave. OK?
It's OK. I'm not scared.
Good. Then neither am I.
What are you doing?
I don't know.
"Lincoln."
Who?
"Lincoln Trahn."
Just don't! Don't open it.
Why not?
Just leave it alone.
Whatever you say.
- Nicky! - I didn't do it!
It's nothin'.
It's just dirt. It's nothin'.
Shit! Shit!
Get it shut!
Nicky, get the strap! Keep it closed!
- Nicky! - What is that, Remi?
Keep it shut!
I'm trying!
Just hold the top down!
- What are they? - Get the latch!
It's broke! They're comin' out the sides!
Shit.
The strap's broken, Remi.
Break off the legs!
Pull! Snap them off!
Sal. Sal, stay back.
Come on, Sal.
Hold it down!
Keep it closed!
Be careful!
Remi, help!
Get it off me! Help!
Heads up! Remi!
They're comin' out the sides.
They're everywhere! Heads up!
They're all over me! They're biting me.
Get them off, Remi!
Hold still.
Get it off me, Remi! Get it off me!
Get away!
Get it off me! Take them off!
I'm getting them, Sal. I'm getting them.
Hold still.
Get them off!
Help.
OK. All right. OK, OK.
All right. It's OK. It's all right.
All right. Everything's gonna be OK.
OK. It's fine.
This is the nest.
I think we just disturbed it.
OK.
Oh, come on.
It won't hurt us.
At least not until it finds out what went down in here.
That should give us enough time...
to get back upstairs...
slip through the gap in the barricade, get to a phone.
Then what?
Then we wait.
No way.
Running would be a big mistake.
Hopefully we can stall it by closing a few doors.
You call that a plan?
You got a better one?
Yeah! Yeah...
Find a few more of these, pound 'em into spikes...
go out there and ventilate the motherfucker...
then we rabbit like hell!
Number one, you'd never puncture the cuticle.
Number two, in all likelihood...
we're dealing with a soldier that kills when provoked...
and number three, you are so intoxicated...
the only damage you're likely to inflict is with your breath.
What the hell do you know, anyway?
Your only chance in hell, Nicky, is what I know.
Now, the genetics of this breed may be scrambled all to hell...
but it began as a cockroach...
so it should still basically behave like a cockroach.
Like a cockroach?
Roaches are negatively phototactic...
which means they run from light.
They're also thigmotactic...
which means they like tight, confined spaces...
so keep away from walls and large clustered objects.
They also have sensors...
that detect subtle variations in air movement...
so running will draw one out...
a hell of a lot faster than walking.
They also demonstrate a remarkable capacity...
for insight learning.
What's that?
The ability to learn from their own mistakes...
which puts them head and shoulders...
above just about anybody I happen to know...
including myself.
So, am I gonna be graded on this later?
No. Strictly pass-fail.
See anything?
Me neither.
All right, remember.
Slow, stick to the center of the hall...
and stay behind me.
Keep your breathing shallow.
Try not to sweat.
Sweat attracts 'em, too.
- You through? - Yeah.
Nicky.
Sorry.
I'm sorry.
Let's go.
It's not recharged.
Let's go anyway. Come on.
I thought I closed that door.
It's in here.
It's going down, not up.
- It's checking the babies. - Run.
- I thought you said not to run! - Come on, Nicky!
We gotta get this stuff out of here.
They're coming. Hurry, hurry.
Just the loose ones.
Help me get this stuff out of here!
Do them all.
Come on.
Faster.
Watch out!
Careful! Careful!
And get something in there. Give me that stool.
Yeah.
Hold it up with this.
Hurry.
Put it in.
Go!
- You first! - No!
Why does everything have to be an argument?
Go!
Sal.
Come on, Sal.
Come on, come on!
What are you doing here?
Get out of here! Run!
You just do it quick.
Stay back.
- What the hell is it? - We gotta get out of here!
What the fuck is that? That's not a man!
Jesus Christ, somebody tell me what the fuck that is!
Move!
- In here! - Come on!
You all right?
Quick!
Lights! Get lights on!
Remi. What are you do... What is she...
We gotta get lights on.
Remi, what are you do... What is she doing?
It's negatively phototactic.
It's what? Remi...
Good enough.
Remi...
Remi!
Tell me I just saw a giant fucking cockroach.
Basically a cockroach with some ant and termite DNA...
tossed in to spice up the recipe.
I need backup.
Sorry, but I got a better handle on this.
- Operator. - Yes, hello.
Connect me to the Center for Disease Control...
Atlanta, E.I.S. Division.
What's E.I.S.?
Epidemic Intelligence Service.
E.I.S., may I help you?
Yes, hello. I need you to listen carefully.
I have at least one adult instar...
of the Judas breed at this location.
There may be more. I don't know.
Judas breed, you said?
That's right. Judas breed.
There's a possible satellite colony...
being established inside the building.
Where are you located?
It's a public school, South Bronx P.S. 400.
How many in the building?
There's four of us.
Are you armed?
- Are we armed? - No.
No, we're not armed.
All right, keep the line open, then.
Yes, keep an open line. Please hurry.
Let me see that.
Yeah.
What are you doing?
I'm gonna take its fucking head off.
You won't even make a scratch unless it's in molt.
Besides, you know what happens...
when you take the head off a cockroach?
It dies?
That's right. It dies.
About nine days from now when it finally starves to death.
Fuck.
Panos? Remi Panos?
I don't give a red rat's ass about Remi Panos.
She was with you CDC morons when you caused this disaster.
You're such a people person.
You don't think this is an Army concern...
you take it up with whatever governing authority...
you can shake out of bed at 3:00 in the morning.
All right, ladies.
We get in, we get out, before the CDC or anybody else...
can turn this into another goddamn circus.
You think it's still out there?
I don't hear anything.
'Cause it's not out there.
What?
It's right here.
Right where, Remi?
Oh, fuck.
Where's it coming from?
It's inside the wall.
How the fuck did it get in there?
Lateral compression.
The same way it gets inside your stereo.
What's it doing now?
Tracking me.
My pheromones, probably.
Phero what?
Chemical markers. Scent.
What are we gonna do now?
Christ. It's gonna be hours before the CDC gets here.
Yeah, but we're not gonna last that long.
I'll stay. You go.
- What? - I'm the one it wants.
No.
You can't know that, Remi.
I'd say it's pretty damn obvious.
You can't.
Yeah.
We're not leaving, Remi.
That thing bursts through the wall...
you're gonna stop it with what...
a letter opener and a box of thumb tacks?
But...
If I stay here and don't move, I won't provoke it.
I'm better off without you here.
I'll be OK, Sal.
I promise.
Sal...
Wait. You said it's following your scent, right?
Can't we, I don't know...
leave your scent behind or something?
What do you mean?
I don't know, you know, like a distraction...
a decoy or something.
Clothes, maybe.
We'd have to leave 'em behind in roughly the same positions.
We don't know this'll work.
- We don't know it won't. - That's not bad.
All right.
- You and Sal go. - No.
Sal, this is your best chance and you're taking it.
Nicky and I, we're right behind you, OK?
Please, get Sal out of here.
Do whatever it takes.
I'm coming back if you're not out that door in 60 seconds.
Fair enough.
OK. OK, come on, Sal.
Come on, let's go.
You heard the lady. Let's go.
I need you to do this, Sal, OK?
Let's go.
Here. I stole it.
I'm sorry I made you cry.
You ready to do this?
Sure this is gonna work?
It was your idea, remember?
The female scent is the strongest attractant...
there is in the insect world.
I've seen just one molecule drive males into fits...
of self-destruction, ripping themselves apart...
completely overriding what limited capacity...
for reason they might otherwise have.
I could die in the next two minutes.
Well, if you don't move your hand...
you're gonna die in the next few seconds.
Sorry.
Don't answer it.
Move, move! Take your positions!
- Move, move! - Over there!
She didn't answer.
You're surprised? I'm not.
Let's go, go, go!
Gives me the willies.
Move! Let's back all the way up!
Run.
Don't shoot! Don't shoot!
There's two more inside!
- Where? - In the principal's office.
- No, not anymore. - What do you mean?
No, we just rang it.
There's nobody in there... alive, at least.
What are you talking about? You can't know that!
No, we just rang the office and nobody picked up.
You rang it? I just came from there!
That's it! Back off, Detective!
What was that, Remi?
Come on, just keep going.
Remi?
Detective!
We'll take it from here, thanks.
Sergeant, escort these two to the holding area.
I want this premises sealed now.
What are you doing?
Containment and eradication. It's that simple.
Give me five minutes.
Can't do it. Every second we delay...
lowers our probability of success.
God damn it, there's still two people in there.
There's a hell of a lot more hanging on this deal...
than two people who are probably dead already.
Sergeant.
Let's go.
Aren't you gonna take my gun first?
Take his gun.
Hey, asshole!
Clear the stairs!
Stay down.
- What's it doing now, Remi? - I don't know.
Oh, God, your scent.
What about my scent, Remi?
It's all over me now.
What does that mean?
Deaver, Jason Mundy, Lou...
What?
It's eliminating the competition.
You gotta get out of here, Nicky.
Get out of here, Nicky. Go!
Hey, you guys, it's down the hall!
Where?
Right down the hall, man, come on!
Get him out of here!
Let's get out of here, now! Come on!
Come on, what are you waiting for?
Get out of here!
Don't be stupid! Let's go!
Last chance!
Screw him.
Couldn't stop the detective, sir.
He took off to recover the woman's body.
Get everybody back.
- I got a son about your age. - Sorry to hear that.
The canisters are being put in place, sir!
Well, let's get this puppy packing!
- Sarge. - Sir?
Expedite the kids.
Let's go, son.
Bring 'em down! Let's go!
Remi.
Hold out one thousand...
Primaries in place! Clear the area!
OK, you heard him. Let's go!
Move it! Move it!
Easy, easy.
You're among friends.
I'm Dr. Shapiro.
How are you feeling?
Still sensitive. That's good.
A good neural response.
You're something of a medical marvel, you know.
No internal bleeding. No infection.
I don't know whether to write a paper...
or take you out dancing.
Oh, God. Something in my...
There was, but it's all gone now.
We cleared away every last bit of it, I assure you.
All of it?
Absolutely all of it.
What was it?
Can you tell me what it was?
Larva.
Insect larva.
I don't know exactly what variety...
because they were immediately confiscated...
by the Department of Defense.
But they were, in fact...
largely responsible for your remarkable turn around.
How?
They're necrophagous.
In much the same way ordinary maggots...
were used by medieval physicians...
to eat away dead and infected tissue.
Those remarkable buggers cleaned you up like little shopvacs...
and their mucoid secretions staunched your bleeding to boot.
Miss Remi, I think you probably owe them your life.
It is dead, right?
Looks dead to me.
Not good. This is very bad news.
This thing's already morphed.
It's just the outer casing.
We gotta find it while it's still soft.
Oh, Jesus.
This thing's already metamorphed into a new instar.
What the hell are we looking for?
You have a visitor.
Who?
Says he's family.
Does he have a name?
Not one he's willing to share.
Family?
Get your little miscreant butt over here.
It looks worse than it feels.
How'd you get here, anyway?
My aunt drove me.
Yeah?
Yeah.
Where is she now?
You made it up. You don't have an aunt.
I do.
Lots of ants.
Remember, Sal, this is a foster situation.
You clear on what that is?
No long-term commitments.
Just want to be clear.
- Keep the change. - Thanks, lady.
What do you think?
I kinda pictured something a little different.
- Yeah, like how? - More yellow.
Yellow?
Yeah, yellow... with chocolate sprinkles.
OK.
Check out the new door.
Three-inch reinforced steel.
Stay here.
I thought I told you to stay in the hall.
Sit here. Don't move.
Thank God it's you.
Christ. How much longer...
we gotta pick over this fucking place?
What the hell do you care? You're on an hourly.
Yeah. Who do I see about a raise?
Wait a second. What's that?
Looks like your buddy Detective Klaski.
Wait a second. If that's Klaski...
then who the hell carried that girl out of here?
Nine days?