THE SIGNAL
Four hours.
Yeah.
Just stay here.
There's nothing out there.
You won't find happiness.
This isn't about finding my happiness.
Hmm.
What's it about, then?
I know it's difficult for you to imagine, but there are…
…things that are bigger than us.
Things worth fighting for.
There are also things that are… much smaller than us,
and they need you,
Right here.
You know what I'm trying to do up there, Sven?
Mm-hmm.
What if Charlie could hear again?
Mm, Charlie can hear just fine.
Hear with her own ears.
Without a computer.
The tickle of… music on her sensory cells.
Charlie is wonderful the way she is.
-Who'd have guessed it? -What?
-When I told you I was pregnant. -No, no.
-Remember? -No. That's not fair.
You didn't want us to bring a child into the world.
Not because of the child.
Because of the world.
Now the worst thing you can imagine is someone taking Charlie away from you.
Papa!
Charlie! Charlie!
Charlie!
Charlie. Charlie!
Fuck!
What did you do with her? Where is she?
-Who? -My daughter!
Huh?
-Huh? -Oops.
Is she gone? Then welcome to the club, I guess.
Where… is… she? Tell me!
Please!
Go on.
Finish what you started.
What?
You forgot about me.
You and your people can take me too!
Don't leave me behind!
I'm still here.
Don't leave me here.
Why… why did you leave me?
I'm sorry.
Let's start.
Okay.
All right…
Three,
two,
one.
Charlie…
Charlie!
Can you hear us?
Oh my God!
Oh my…
Can you hear me? Do you hear me, Charlie?
Can you hear me?
-So, it's… -It's real. It's out there.
And Hadi is looking for it.
Secretly. But he doesn't know when it's transmitting.
-Where is he now? -He's asleep. Why would he do that?
Oh, there are plenty of reasons, dear, though it's really hard to believe.
We vetted him thoroughly.
Hmm. As thoroughly as me?
The good news is he knows what he's looking for
but not where to find it.
I know exactly where we were and where the station was when I heard it.
You watch out.
I will.
I will find it.
That's my girl.
Charlie!
Charlie?
Shit.
-How long has she been missing? -I, uh… Four and a half hours?
And you think she was abducted?
No, that's not… I don't know.
But plenty of people want to hurt us right now.
Really?
If she did run away, do you know where she might have gone?
-I don't. -Did she say anything?
-No! -Did you have a fight?
No, no, no! We never fight!
We don't…
Hello? Are you still there?
-Paula… -What?
She'd said that… She said her mom called her.
What? Her mom called her?
Hello? Hello?
Paula?
Paula.
"Don't be afraid."
HI, CHARLIE YES, I HEAR YOU, SWEETHEART
"I want to see you too."
"Come."
"Come to me!"
Perhaps we could have a moment of your time?
Wow, look at you.
Barely three weeks in, bouncin' around like a little bird.
-Yeah, I'm getting used to it. -How's your battle with death goin'?
Oh, death is still trying to resist, but we're on it.
You got a great partner there.
Ambitious guy. You can't get him away from work.
What do you always say about me when we play Fox and Hare?
You know exactly what I say.
Why do I lose that game?
Uh…
Look, you're the most intelligent person I know by far. You're always smart…
Yeah, but seldom clever.
If the hare has no teeth, how can it… beat the fox?
By always staying two steps ahead of the fox.
And if there are a lot of foxes?
Hey, what's up? What are we talking about?
Nothing. It's just a game.
Just… getting a few tips from the master. That's all.
Paula, if you played for keeps,
no one would ever beat you at Fox and Hare.
-No one. -Okay.
I love you.
I love you too.
Four days ago with you on the balcony…
was the first one I'd had in seven years.
Got a pack the next day.
Just please let me go.
You'd better start telling me a really good story.
What were you doing at Rainer Beu's house?
My daughter is missing. Please let me go.
Okay.
We can drive to the nearest police station.
They'll look for your daughter, and we'll have all the time in the world
to discuss what you were doing.
No, you're not listening at all, God fucking damn it!
-They'll help find her. -No one's helping us! No one!
You really believe you're the victim.
You know what still fascinates me after all this time?
In all my years on the job, no one I've ever met thought he was the bad guy.
Not the mass murderer.
Not the terrorist.
It's always someone else.
When you tricked me for information on the balcony after I'd lost my wife…
Was that good?
Or was that bad?
I show up, I try to find out what really happened, I go home.
Good and evil aren't my department. That's what the law is for.
So you wanna find out what really happened?
-Yeah. -Yeah?
Okay, tell me, then.
Where's Rainer?
What's on the security camera before I got there?
Why was the "live footage" of the landing not live?
What was Paula trying to say before she suddenly disappeared?
Why does everyone with something to say suddenly disappear, huh?
You wanna hear a good story?
There it is.
What is it?
If I told you, you wouldn't believe it.
You have to see for yourself.
Where?
It's in my car.
-Shit, shit, shit! -What's going on?
We're losing some pressure. There might be a leak.
Let's move! Come on. We gotta get out and fix it.
Hadi, get over to the Japanese section.
We have to close the airlocks. And where is Paula?
Paula!
Fuck!
Okay. Always stay a step ahead.
Hello?
Hello.
There you are.
Hello?
TOP SECRET - FOR INTERNAL USE ONLY CLASSIFIED
Go ahead.
Break the law you love so much.
But…
there's no going back once you do it.
Holy shit!
It's getting closer.
So then…
It's coming.
Something's on its way to us.
Now I see why they're keeping it secret.
Uh… I'm sorry.
Sorry for what?
Are you insane?
Fuck!
Sven, stop the car! You won't get a hundred meters!
I said stop!
Listen, it's all pretty clear.
You… you won't let me go. Not with that file.
And then these people will take care of me and my daughter.
Just like Rainer was taken care of. And my wife.
You gotta be shitting me. Paula.
Paula!
Paula? This is Jake. Are you with us?
-Can you hear me? -Paula!
-Get the oxygen tank. -I'm on my way.
A bigger drop and she could have died.
I'm sorry.
I had my earphones on.
-It's all right. -I heard the alarm too late.
-I'm sorry. -Come. We need to get you some oxygen.
I'm sorry.
Give me your phone now, please.
You know everyone will be looking for you?
Yeah.
And the file, please.
It's my insurance policy. No one would believe me without it.
Yeah, no one would believe you.
If you really wanna know what happened to that passenger plane,
then help me.
Rainer talked to the aviation authority in Santiago, who told him, uh…
He wrote this down. I have no idea what it means.
Got your cigs?
Yeah, you know it.
Maybe you could give me a head start.
It's up to you.
And take care of yourself.
There's a target on both our backs now.
-When will it be here? -It's hard to tell.
It's moving. So are we.
I need more information to calculate
if it's going to hit Earth, and if so, when and where.
So, what are we talking? Years? Months?
No. I think we're talking weeks.
Nobody must know.
-What? -Do you think we're ready?
Look at us. Do you think the world is ready, Paula?
We can't agree on anything. Something is coming to greet us, Paula.
It's going to turn everything we know upside down.
They're going to talk. They're going to fight.
They will just botch it up.
Find out all that you can. Come back down safely.
Speak to nobody. They might be listening to us even now.
No one must know.
That's what Hadi said.
Yes, isn't that ironic?
Paula?
-Yes? -You're out of my reach.
You're there on your own now. Nobody must be trusted.
Nobody.
You! Freeze!
I mean that quite literally. Do not move.
And now lift your foot up very carefully.
Very carefully.
I'm on it.
Grab that barrel and bring it over.
Is… is that…
The barrel, please!
Fuck.
Um…
And…
Ugh. Oh, that was close.
I knew I'd forgotten one.
Would that have… blown me up?
No, no, Could have lost your foot, maybe.
-Why didn't you use the front entrance? -Why…
-Where'd that… thing come from? -They're Teller mines.
I got 'em over there, from the old death strip before it was cleared.
They've already taken out two deer.
Huh.
Now I can finally let my dog out. Thank you.
Are you… are you completely insane?
I don't need people coming onto my property.
This is an autonomous domain.
Where's your car?
What for?
Hmm.
-Can I please see my daughter now? -Yeah, just a minute.
Ha! There!
Uh…
I knew you'd been tagged.
And lock it.
All right, my lovely,
why don't we send them on a little excursion, huh?
And she's… off!
That'll buy us some peace and quiet.
Where's my daughter?
Let's just say… it's good you finally made it.
She won't eat anything, she won't sleep.
She cries and cries and cries.
And I have no idea what she's trying to say, not a single word.
This wasn't supposed to happen. I thought you'd come with her!
How did you get Charlie to come out here?
-She thought I was your wife. -You?
Let's just say I have a few recordings.
And the rest I whispered. It's more mysterious that way, anyway.
You have recordings of my wife?
I'll explain later. Charlie!
Charlie!
-Anke? -Yeah?
Stop.
Back, back, back, back.
What the hell? Is that the end of the recording?
No, this is the recording.
Only it's black.
Okay. This is getting crazy.
I thought you were bringing in Groth.
Um… yeah.
We struck out. He was gone.
Didn't you hear? His daughter is missing.
That took you both four hours?
Yeah.
That's interesting, because half an hour ago,
somebody checked out the security footage from the evidence locker.
Really?
-They have it! -Have what?
The black box.
I'm sorry, Dad.
No, I'm sorry.
She's not here.
She's not here at all anymore, is she?
No.
But I'm here.
You were there for my big game.
And when I broke my arm.
Yes.
Where was Mom?
She was already gone even then.
No, Charlie, that's not true.
Mom was doing something really big.
And I think
she's with us right now too.
Come here! Come quick! You have to hear this!
Get out! No! You cannot have the intercom. Get out!
-We are not doing anything. -Sven…
-We just need the intercom. -Listen to me.
-Oxygen 100%. -It's okay!
You have to listen to me very carefully, right now.
And you have to listen to Carlotta, above all. You can't do it alone.
You need each other. I need both of you.
Remember when I said…
that some things are bigger than us?
I'm sorry.
I love you!
How is this possible? How'd the media get this before us?
Welcome to the new world order.
It sounded like they were as surprised as everyone else.
Come.
What does that mean?
Uh… I think it means that… we're suddenly not terrorists anymore.
-Why? -The crash wasn't Mom's fault.
I don't get it. What was Mom saying?
Uh… I…
I think she's sending us a message.
-She… wants something from us. -What?
-I don't-- -What does she want?
Charlie, I don't know, I don't… I don't understand it either.
She found something in space.
-What did she find? -Uh…
Where do I start? Uh…
Hello?
-That's what she found. -Wh…
Wait, where'd you get that?
We heard it for the first time two years ago.
We were using the old Russian channel because we, uh…
Well…
Let's just say we're a tiny community
determined to take a stand against this tyrannical state.
So we always want to be sure that no one's listening in.
That's why this message scared us so much.
We suddenly heard someone transmit on our channel!
The others immediately switched to another channel they thought was more secure.
But I kept thinking
what is this kid doing on here?
Only it wasn't a kid.
It was always the same message. Every 13 days for a couple of hours.
And it just kept getting clearer.
Then, about three months ago, I started hearing… something else.
Every evening, a mother and a daughter.
And I realized that the mother… was on the ISS.
I could hear the signal, so I knew she could hear it too.
So I thought that was my chance.
Maybe she could see where it was coming from.
I couldn't ask her, because who knew who might be listening?
So I didn't say a word.
Such things can only be discussed face to face.
I've known that since the old days.
And I knew she had found something.
She was there. Every 13 days. But what?
What did she find?
TOP SECRET
I knew it!
-They're coming. -Who's coming?
-Aliens. -We can't say that for sure.
-It can imitate our language-- -Aliens!
-We don't know-- -We know enough to say that!
It's coming from out there. Who else could it be, huh?
The man in the moon? Or else Laika, out for an afternoon space walk?
Dogs don't get that old.
I was just joking, kid. Of course this is from aliens.
Aliens?
Pack this all up. Grab your laptop. We're going to my place.
-Okay. -And turn off your cell phone.
Uh… why?
Well, uh…
No, forget it. I'm getting paranoid.
What are you reading there?
It's about the aliens.
Ah, that's from back in my day.
It was during the Cold War. Atomic winter.
-Mm-hmm. -Mm. She loves that.
She's always scaring other kids with it.
Did you know that the old border ran through here?
-Really? -Yeah, about a hundred meters away.
It was just like a little island, surrounded by barbed wire.
You could only get across at one place,
and you had to ask permission just to go shopping.
On our side was barbed wire, and on your side there were missiles.
And yet all of humankind sent out a message.
Together!
"Together?" Huh!
Did you tell her that?
Do you think they look like this?
Nah… people made those up.
That's why they all look a bit like people already.
Yeah, but…
they all look evil too.
Yeah, like I said.
People made them up.
Why does Mom want aliens who might be evil to land here?
I mean, well, you know… your Mom's logic.
She always assumes the best.
Hmm.
So.
Bed time. Hmm? Get some rest.
-Papa? -Hmm?
If someone wants to do something evil,
and is technically so advanced that they can travel to Earth…
Yeah?
Would they announce their arrival beforehand?
Would that be smart?
Probably not. Hmm. No.
See that? Mom's logic is logical.
Huh.
Okay, Rainer calls Santiago from his house,
then he disappears.
What did he want to know?
Well, this is the number for aviation authority,
and this is the number for the airport in Santiago.
And this is just the departure time.
Nothing mysterious.
Could we get the flight information without anyone in our office finding out?
Passenger list, the crew, ground personnel, all that stuff?
Yeah, I think so.
But our office already went through it. All of it.
I preferred the old days better. You knew who the enemy was.
Well, lucky you, because it feels like they're coming back. Hah! The old days.
Yeah, just more complicated.
As if we're somehow cursed, doomed to repeat the same mistakes.
Over and over again.
I would always tell my students
to imagine the progress of history like an upward sloping line.
But… of course, that's a lie.
History is a circle.
Maybe it's time for someone to break us out.
Let's go over it again. 171 passengers.
Three of them with disabilities. One no-show.
Fourteen vegetarians. Stop that.
Three families with small children.
Thirty-six sitting in business class, half full. No first.
What are we missing here?
Yeah. Yeah, I'm still here.
Okay. Thank you. Bye.
They confirmed, it's just like he wrote.
The flight left right at its scheduled time, no delay.
-The aviation authority agrees. -Right.
But the airport says that…
That the flight left 24 minutes behind schedule.
And that's what's on all the documents.
Why would anyone falsify that?
Yeah. Exactly.
What for?
I must be too stupid. I don't get it.
Why didn't she just say what happened?
Is that a serious question?
-You have to listen to me now… -You mean…
And you have to…
If she'd said it right out,
the transmission never would've been made public.
-You need to… -Of course not.
Remember when I said some things are bigger than us?
She wants us to make it public!
-I love you. -Yeah.
She… she wants it so everyone finds out and they can't erase it from the record.
What is it?
Go get your daughter.
Charlie! Charlie!
Charlie!
Hurry!
What are you waiting for? Come on!
What is that?
This is my bunker.
If they think I'm an amateur, they don't know who they're dealing with.
-You have… a panic room? -Yeah. With supplies to last us two years.
We should be just fine until the aliens arrive. Hurry, get inside!
What about Paula's message?
We'll worry about getting it out after we're safe.
If they get their hands on you now, you're done for.
Then no one will find out anyway.
Ugh… does it have a radio?
-A way to contact the outside? -Uh… not yet.
What would Mom say?
Everything will be fine.
Okay.
Yeah, we at least have to give it a shot.
Idiots!
Hedgehog Two with an update. They're running south into the forest.
Careful! Are you okay?
Hedgehog Two, do you have a visual?
Hedgehog Two, we're moving forward into the forest. Do you copy?
-Shit! -No signal?
-We're closing in. -Roger.
-Papa! -Come on!
Sh!
Well, look who we have here.
It's been our absolute pleasure having you here on board. Cheers!
-Saluti! -Cheers.
-Thanks for having us. -Yeah, well, thank your billionaire.
Actually, I do.
We do.
Was it worth the investment?
You guys find what you're lookin' for?
I mean, sometimes science is all about finding what you weren't looking for.
Oh, how very German of you.
Philosophical, poetic. And just a gentle touch of depression.
Zum Wohl!
-Saluti! -Zum Wohl.
Hmm!
We did it.
-Yeah. -And no one noticed.
No.
Did you have any more episodes?
A couple. But, um…
I just stopped letting them bother me.
Good.
I'm really proud of you.
Hmm.
Hadi, I know what you did.
But you won't find it.
Not with your systematic grid or your digital search strategy.
Because you don't listen.
Hey, there's the team!
Whoop, whoop!
-Come on! Party's over here! -Come on, let's party!
-When it transmits next… -Come on!
…it'll be here.
That's the ball game.
-I think I have it. -Huh?
Did every passenger check a bag?
Or did any fly with just a carry-on?
What?
Did any passenger fly with just a carry-on?
Uh, no, no. It was a transatlantic flight.
Everyone checked a bag. It would've been strange not to.
-Hah! -What is it?
The no-show.
There was a no-show.
Yeah, someone checked in but didn't get on the plane.
That happens all the time.
Yeah, the problem isn't the no-show itself.
Then what?
You ever flown to Mallorca before?
I have. Know what happens when someone checks in but doesn't board the plane?
-Nope. -They take their bags off the plane.
Know how long that takes?
-Forever? -Forever.
At least 24 minutes.
But the flight actually left the minute it was supposed to.
And what does that mean?
They didn't take the bags off the plane.
Bingo.
Well, who was the no-show?
Shit! Shit, shit, shit!
Do we have a number for Groth?
We have to warn Sven Groth! I'm afraid something might happen to him.
Right.
Where are we?
You'll get your phone back after.
After what?
Come on. This way.
Still nothing. Either no signal or his phone's off.
Try him again.
Still no answer.
Send him a text message. Warn him.
Shit!
What exactly are you afraid of?
Just ask Rainer Beu what happened when he started calling those numbers.
The same numbers we just called, you mean?
-We're targets. -What?
You can go on in.
♪ Fly me to the moon ♪
♪ And let me play among the stars ♪
♪ Let me see what spring is like ♪
♪ On Jupiter and Mars ♪
♪ In other words, hold my hand… ♪
Rainer!
♪ In other words, darling, kiss me… ♪
Oh! Hmm.
-So they got you too. -♪ Fill my heart with song ♪
♪ And let me sing forevermore ♪
♪ You are all I long for ♪
♪ All I worship and adore… ♪
♪ In other words, please be true ♪
♪ In other words… ♪
Paula.
You have the coordinates where it's going to land?
Yeah.
Where?
Here.
Just here.
What are you doing? Hadi!
What are you doing? Let me out!
We're right above the Atlantic. In the big dead zone.
No Mission Control. No one at all.
The alarm is turned off, and everyone's sleeping.
It's just you and me.
Paula.
Please give me the coordinates.
Fuck you, Hadi!
If you don't give them to me, all will be lost.
Please, Paula!
All will be lost for who, Hadi?
For me or for you?
Paula, we don't have much time.
Please don't let it end this way! Give me the coordinates!
-Come on! -Stop!
Paula, if the coordinates get out to the public, it's over for us.
It will become a political disaster that can only end one way.
You don't know!
It's bigger than you and me. Please!
Paula!
Want some?
-All they have is boxed wine. -I…
-Wait, but I thought you were… -That I was dead?
Yeah.
Let's put it this way.
I had the feeling I'd gone and made one too many calls.
So I placed myself in the loving care of the state.
You mean you ran straight into the arms of the people behind all this shit?
Which people?
You mean the German government? The European Union?
-Politicians? The spy agencies? -For instance, yeah.
Really? You think it's all a big conspiracy?
It's more than a conspiracy.
-Go, go, go! -It's acute helplessness.
You're a history teacher.
Is there a single example of when the community of nations
was faced with a problem of epochal proportions
and quickly arrived at a wise solution?
They're doing what they always do.
They play it safe. Avoid any danger.
Secure reelection.
"No alternative" is how they put it, I believe.
No alternative to what?
They're going to shoot it down.
Why don't they want to meet
something that has come from so far away to visit us?
Why don't they want to know who it is?
Get your ass over here.
They're afraid.
Of course they're afraid.
Afraid they'll be evil?
Mm.
Most of the Aztec people weren't killed
as a direct result of the Europeans' manifestly evil intentions.
They died of the childhood diseases Europeans brought.
Stand back!
And we just saw what a moderately dangerous virus
did to our oft-touted international "community."
What will the populists do when they catch wind of it?
What will the Internet prophets do? The media? The autocrats?
They'll drive us even further apart.
And what about all this advanced technology?
God forbid China gets its hands on it first!
Or Russia, or Iran, or whoever they're afraid of.
We're not prepared.
No. We were never prepared.
We can't locate it. We can't see it.
We don't have the ghost of an idea what…
what kind of technology we're dealing with here.
It's simply beyond our capabilities.
The only thing we have is the place.
And the time.
When?
-Come. -Oh.
-There goes our chance to meet our guests. -Everyone in position!
Come.
-I don't want to see. -What?
Go, go, go!
Come on! Paula!
Say something!
Paula.
48 degrees.
-30… -48 degrees.
35 minutes.
6.5 seconds north.
-11 degrees. -11 degrees.
-50 minutes. -50 minutes.
39.4 seconds east.
-On September 6th. -On September…
At 6:17 a.m.
6:17.
Hey!
Thank you, Paula.
Please forgive me. I didn't want this.
I had to or else-
At this time, an unidentified flying object will land on Earth.
I have been receiving its signal for three months now.
What are you doing?
Everyone can hear us.
Now it's out.
You don't know what you've done.
Stand by!
-Stop! -Stay down!
No, no, no, no, no, no, no! Stop!
No!
♪ The darkest dreams ♪
♪ Are my reality ♪
♪ My mind a haze ♪
♪ My waking is a thief ♪
♪ You don't want to stay ♪
♪ Here with me ♪
♪ I am moving ♪
♪ Through a silver stream ♪ !