"Former hero of several cartoons and photo stories, has been dumped by Eszter, his only love, who has never been able to cope with his ashtray-reeking breath." "However a question that hasn't yet been answered will make their destinies cross over once again." "A man must question whether it is worth living five or six years longer without cigarettes or whether it is more convenient to yield instead to this shameful and vile vice that ends up killing you, but for the time being just fills your life" "with a strange matter, at once relaxing and stimulating your nervous system." "When you are in your 50s, it becomes one of the most serious life matters, to which - for now " "I answer with coronary spasms and the decision to carry on just like this" "till I die" "What's your name?" "Names are consequences of things, but they are mere words, they don?" "mean anything." "By calling your name, I possess you." "No, you only possess the idea you have of me." "I possess you and you are dead." "I bet you'd been expecting it for quite a long time." "It's me who's giving sense to you." "The more the precision of a gauging device, the more the sample examined by the device itself will be contaminated." "What does it mean?" "That there are things we will never come to grasp and we really ought to keep silent about, rather than describe them in a fuzzy" " or worse - erroneous manner." "The City is a sort of perverted game, it invites you to play a game that consists in silent attempts to discover the rules of the game itself." "The rules of the game are the City and to play means to be played." "But calling out means to leave the City." "My career is almost over," "I do not frighten any more." "I will be followed by mediocre and insignificant beings." "I was order." "I used to turn my chaos into beauty." "New all that will be left is a miserable vile violence" "My violence will spread over the masses." "Somehow I was controllable... ..but my molecules that will germinate in people... ..are not." "Get and force him to quit smoking." "If he doesn't... waste him." "Who are you?" "That's none of your concern." "The money is on your coded account already." "Who is it?" "Room service, sir." "Speak before you die." "Speaking will not save me." "Your death could be painless." "I was paid to do you in." "I gathered that much." "Who?" "She will not allow to be identified." "Anything else?" "She said that you had to quit smoking." "Old habits die hard." "She recommended an Anti-smoke Centre but she knew that you would never go." "So she thought that at least, by killing you, she would have solved the problem." "Asshole." "ANTI-SMOKE CENTER" "Welcome." "In your case we will use a Hi-8." "Mr , we've been expecting you." "Please, make yourself comfortable." "Somebody tried to kill me and led me here." "Please, don't be so wary of us." "Let's talk about cigarettes, shall we?" "Do you smoke?" "Sure thing." "Good." "Or bad, rather!" "Smoking is disgusting." "But you know that already, or you wouldn't be here and we couldn't do what we're doing" "How does it work?" "Which ones do you smoke?" "BS" "Delicious." "From tomorrow, you won?" "be able to say... .. "Give me a packet of HBs" any more, are you aware of that?" "Yes, I believe so." "No, you don't realise." "Do you smoke?" "Yes, I smoke quite a few." "But we are not here to talk about me." "Let's talk about you." "Our cure consists of being constantly accompanied by our account." "Our account is an interesting example of a state-of-the-art biological processor, mounted on an organic body shell." "You've probably heard about it already." "It practically contains the whole of human knowledge, and can do virtually anything." "As soon as we activate it, you will be constantly monitored and I'll record everything." "2417?" "Yes, unfortunately." "And it wont help switching the lights oft." "It is equipped with laser sensors." "Do not worry, though." "Our system only activates to rectify imperfections due to the eventual presence of nicotine in your body." "So, if you don?" "smoke, the signal from our account will not be registered." "Of course we'll register it, but we will not see it." "You know, we can't see everything." "We have thousands of customers, but as soon as you light up a cigarette, the system activates." "I'm basically a captive." "But you already are," "You are a prisoner of smoke, of your beloved HBs." "This is why you are here." "You want to be set free." "I admit that our system is slightly violent," "I'd dare say extreme, but that must be forgiven." "And nobody has ever complained." "Will I have to carry it with me?" "No, our account is completely independent, it will just follow you, Mr ." "Here." "Please, sign here." "For your privacy, of course." "Many of our clients quit smoking and then request to extend the rental of the account." "Sometimes they go through hardships in life and need the account to coach them, so that their behaviour can improve." "May I take liberty to suggest a contact?" "We're seeing excellent results." "Our People... ..is asking the Great Whore of Consumerism for a packet of cigarettes." "Your People has money?" "Future Zar of all Russlas could have no money?" "100 millions cash." "Where is the money?" "How can I trust?" "If you agree, these are our conditions." "In a week from now, same time, same place." "What you do with all the money?" "Well, shopping" "Traveling, jewels." "You," "Whore of Consumerism, betray your Country for money?" "I only betray a man." "A dead one, perhaps." "You don?" "speak, don't eat, don't do anything." "You just film." "And the pig of your Boss watches me." "Indeed, that's what the programme is designed for." "What do you think of it?" "Interesting." "There's something deeply subversive in the will not to show anything." "This is not a good time to be squeamish." "Well, an image of the past is never truly past." "Our unsurpassable horizon is death." "An archaic image, ultimately, is modern." "However, he's not so different from the others." "You think?" "He doesn't communicate" "His image is just there, as if to fill up gap, to sooth grief, or nostalgia." "Can we make it?" "An image is the attempt to bring to presence what is absent." "If he behaves like ," "I will film him and you'll sell him straight away." "Explain to him in detail what we need." "That's bold." "Thanks to our account, it'll be a piece of cake." "Let's see how he menages with something a little more sophisticated." "What are you thinking?" "My idea was to have him meet an old friend of his." "We could use the Soviet as a link." "Up to YOU." "As long as I get my proceeds." "Basically, if I don't smoke, you'll do whatever I want." "Exactly" "So, if I tell you to wash up, you'll wash up, if I tell you to arrange a heist, you'll come up with it." "As a matter of fact, this was meant to be our main function." "Many clients do not relate to us at all, in fact, we know that some only take up the programme to rent us out to friends for a few hours." "Only a few actually talk to us." "So can I unwrap you?" "You can take my synthetic skin off, but then I'll become more similar to a machine than a human." "The more you peel me off, the less I have to give in human terms." "So they quit smoking." "This is the goal, but the programme adapts to the client, so the procedure changes all the time." "You still have skull on pajamas?" "Fucking Russian." "I am client, show kindness." "You're still a piece of shit, every time I see a fur hat I get rashes." "There is HB packet to retrieve and colleague to invite to dinner," "Usual grand finale for guest." "Three millions." "Your colleague Diabolik less expensive." "Call him, then." "Diabollik busy," "Satanik too," "Diavolik retired." "You don't have many options left." "One million." "Not a chance." "You cannot haggle with people's lives." "I am a professional." "Take it or leave it." "One day we kill you, too, old bastard colonialist." "That day you'll find me ready." "From Beijing we have a request from a streaming voyeur." "It is a big fish?" "His credit card statement looks very interesting." "Ask him if he wants the special deal." "Apply a 30% extra and specify that it could be a snuff." "Add to the packet the rewind option up to six hours and of course charge an additional 20%." "Shall we give him ?" "Yes." "Maybe it's too early, we haven't monitored him long enough, but I'm sure that he'll give us great satisfaction." "He'll surprise us." "Let's keep the exclusive rights reserved, they might want to make a series out of it." "Very well, sir." "You are the Mantis, right?" "I've been keeping an eye on you." "I will solve your troubles in a definite... manner." "I understand your sense of guilt for this pathological union of Eros and Thanatos that upsets your mind." "Because, in my opinion... ..you have been the last of human whores." "Before the androids came round." "And the accounts." "And I hate your ilk." "This is why I decided to stich up all your orifices." "So... ..you will no longer be the Mantis." "And, at the same time" "Listen carefully." "You'll die!" "You'll burst with shit." "I will only leave your mouth open." "This way you'll be able to talk... ..and feed." "But you won?" "live long." "Oh, yeah!" "I calculated that... ..in six days at the latest..." "..your body... ..will be so full of unexpelled foeces and urine that your intestine will explode!" "And all your waste will find an apt escape route through your mouth." "There." "This will be my masterpiece." "No." "I will not anaesthetise you." "I'd love to listen to your screaming." "Could you please look into the camera and smile?" "Would you mind?" "I'll start!" "Where are we going?" "To see a friend." "You're good." "At hiding them, I mean." "Clearly not at smoking them." "You know what you're wrong about?" "What?" "You attribute to cigarettes properties they don't have." "You like to think that every time you light a cigarette this can bring back past, happy moments, that will never come back." "What a subtle psychological analysis." "I can tell you now." "What?" "The true reason why you're smoking." "It's something that will destroy you." "Tell me." "You smoke to feel adequate towards others." "There's pleasure in smoking, as such." "The programme heals nicotine addiction through the client's repeated ejaculation." "It's not quite the same." "From a biological point of view you activate the same muscular, chemical and emotional processes." "I still prefer a fag." "Well, you know what?" "What?" "I feel like a smoke." "Drive." "Hold on, that pain-in-the-ass is here." "They want material to keep them going for 50 episodes, but in six months the contracts will have to be renewed." "The bastards!" "They're giving me troubles, but I only serve the elite." "I need time" "Shall I make time?" "No, you can't temporise." "OK." "Tell them I can offer 10030-minute episodes, covering two seasons in six months from now." "I want half upfront, or we don't start." "15% discount fare." "Keep me updated and send someone over for Mr ." "Offer him 20M." "For six months." "Let's shoot." "Go." "Yes, I sent him off." "We can talk freely now." "Tell me." "Did you quit smoking?" "I don't think so." "I bet he's one of the worst clients of the programme." "We've only just started." "What do you want?" "A woman stole an HB packet from me and I must find it." "How many cigarettes did you use to smoke?" "I never counted them." "A smoker only counts the cigarettes he doesn't smoke." "Miss, how's the Boss?" "He's fine, I believe" "Send him my regards." "Are we moving?" "It works." "Don't you think I should smoke a cog now?" "No." "I've got short-term memory issues." "You can think tomorrow what you were thinking before." "You've just started walking down a logical path." "That would be a different thought." "That thought would have to take into consideration that it had been thought before." "Can I smoke, now?" "You don't have any on you, you should buy some." "I'll go for a walk." "Just to relax." "Smoking will not relax you." "I can relax you." "Fucking boring." "I want to smoke." "I think you're one of those who renew their subscription." "Are you ?" "Yes, why?" "We represent the Anti-smoke Centre." "We're offering you 20M to release your complete footage starting from tomorrow and for the next two seasons." "There are conditions." "You are a bit too ?" "abby." "We want the former nasty back." "Blood, rapes, violence." "To increase your rates?" "Will you sign?" "Are the 20M included?" "I'll sign." "The Boss expects great things from you." "It doesn't work." "It doesn't work." "What do you think about your Boss's offer?" "It seems very convenient." "The programme sets up different strategies for different clients, but the bottom line is pretty much the same." "You're just supposed to do what you've been doing so far." "As long as I don't smoke." "That's it, except for smoking." "But I can't be if I don't smoke." "This is only a projection of your mind." "You only think that you can't be if you don't smoke." "But that's not true." "You are whether or not you smoke cigarettes." "You should order a new costume, this one is worn out." "Not now." "It is never a good time for you." "Don?" "complain that your wardrobe is empty." "Sorry, I almost forgot you don't have a wardrobe." "You're so boring." "Look." "The woman who stole the HBs is Eszter." "You remember her?" "She stays at the usual hotel." "You should go alone." "Watch out, , someone's trying to screw you." "I made her this nice new implant." "How I love" "..to transform them, in an irreversible way, from the inside." "Wonderful taste." "Exquisite." "But what happened to the packet?" "The HBs?" "You don't know the significance of that packet." "Actually, I don't." "Just like when we were kids." "I used to strangle them while you took pictures." "I also bought the acids." "To develop them." "Of course." "You certainly couldn't develop them at the local chemist's." "Then I got the Polaroid, too." "Those were the days." "That's all past." "But I still like Polaroid." "However, let's talk about the HBs." "I don't know why you're so interested in this packet." "I don't know what to do with it" "I may as well sell it to you." "Are you diddling me?" "My dear." "I'm giving you exactly what the girl had in her pocket, even if it looks to me like a straight HB packet." "So what do you want?" "A supply of guinea pigs." "Not accounts." "And not over 50." "They never last longer than 10 minutes under the knife." "Shall I get you twenty or so?" "You're generous." "You must be really keen on these HBs." "But I won't ask you why." "You wouldn't get an answer." "I'm going up alone." "I'm programmed to follow you at all times." "Trust me, this is just not the sort of situation where I would want to light up a cog." "Do not ask me to do things that are not in the programme." "Just do it as a one-off." "The mighty ." "Eszter." "They call me the Mantis, now." "The HBs." "Where are they?" "It seems to me you're not in the position to ask questions." "But you haven't answered yet." "That was the wrong question." "And it was inappropriate, too." "If you'd been someone else, you'd be dead by now." "If I'd been someone else, you wouldn't be here." "Eszter." "Stop it." "I'm not Eszter any more." "The HB packet is worth nothing." "I'm the only thing for you to desire." "What are you going to do with those HBs?" "Buy them yourself." "It's not for me." "So, you also take commissions, now?" "Are you no longer the great artist of terror?" "The king of terror is dead." "Has the artist beneath the mask stopped throbbing?" "His throbs are rather slow." "It reeks of shit here, Eszter." "What the fuck are you doing?" "A maniac stitched up my holes and inverted my bowels." "Whatever I eat, I shit it from my mouth." "I'm croaking." "Bursting with shit." "Who did it?" "The Surgeon." "How can I help you?" "I need a new intestine." "Quick." "When will you accomplish your masterpiece?" "When will you die in my arms?" "The time hasn't come yet" "Where is the packet?" "I believe the Surgeon took it from me." "Are you leaving?" "I'll be back." "Why did you not kill and rape her?" "Shut the fuck up." "You are not sticking to the script for this episode." "You said I had to trust you." "And I perceive highly stimulated receptors in your body." "But you didn't smoke." "What's going on?" "OK, listen, I made a mistake, but what really matters is to find the true villain, this Surgeon." "After all, I will slaughter them all." "Where is this Surgeon?" "I only know one Surgeon, a friend of the Boss." "Years ago he designed us accounts." "But there were problems with the model before ours." "Where do I find him?" "Up North." "Are you robotic whores equipped with an intestine?" "We are made of sealed metal and only equipped with orifices and protuberances of the human body in male and female version." "The inside is made of organic processors and ?" "uid mechanotronic organs responsible for the perfection of our movement." "Shit." "That's why the City called me back." "Something is rotten in the city of Vigasio." "There they are." "The account is not following the programme." "So, what did you need to tell me so urgently?" "The film must go on" "I..." "My circuits..." "I believe..." "I fell in love with you." "The Boss had foreseen this." "Let's beat them senseless." "You must stick to the contract." "This is only a warning." "Don't piss off the Boss." "Now it does work." "Red code." "Come get me." "From the control room they confirm the positive outcome of our agents' intervention." "Take the matter into your hands." "I don't want to hear again about other than on my balance sheets." "Go." "I have a little job for you." "Yes, come see me." "I'll tell you about it." "The City has changed." "Television, with its programmes and broadcasts, runs the seasons." "Reality shows need a constant supply of fresh meat." "You signed a contract to quit smoking and by doing so you handed over your image rights exclusively to the Anti-smoke Centre, which sells your life to third parties." "You are their creature." "Where is my account?" "The account is a machine bearing the syndrome." "It inoculates and breeds your latent exhibitionism" "They don't need that any more." "You too are like me, now." "We are each other's account." "The prolonged exposition to the account transforms the client's iris." "It lowers your need for nicotine by increasing your exhibitionism." "It's all recorded and sold to rich, spoil and bored voyeurs who can afford it." "Right now I'm also broadcast live and I'm dead." "What am I supposed to do?" "Kill them all." "And get your life back." "And get mine back, too." "I will renew the policy." "What a bastard." "It doesn't matter." "It all looks nicer like this" "The birth of image is tightly connected to death." "He must be disposed of." "No, save him." "He'll come in handy for a remake." "Where is the Mantis?" "In her room." "I believe she's about to die." "Although, we cannot really call it 'time'." "Images ignore the signs of time." "We can only be their contemporaries, we can never come before or after them." "Is he running to her?" "I think so." "The game begins now." "Can you tell me what's going on?" "I want to know everything." "Everything." "On the phone for you." "What the fuck do you want?" "Focus your cameras sharp, and you'll get a nice little film." "Except you'll be in it this time, and you won't be able to sell it" "Fuck off." "You look restless, what happened?" "Moriarty." "My dear." "Yeah." "I have a little issue here:" "." "I don't want any money." "I want a thematic channel of my own." "It will be called Moriarty TV." "And it will broadcast my life 24!" "?" "With specials, in-depth analysis and prime-time talk shows, where I will be the only topic" "And I will choose the hosts and the guests." "No commercial breaks." "And after midnight," "TV sales and commercials of the merchandise I will indicate." "You're demanding too much." "I don't have any free channels." "Then clear one." "Or you can keep ." "Alright. it's a deal." "How do you want him?" "Packaged?" "Wrapped?" "Frozen?" "Dead!" "Lie on the bed." "What do you want?" "I'm not in the programme." "You were having fun with this one, right?" "Where are the HBs?" "I sold them" "To whom?" "To the Boss." "And the Mantis?" "Did you know her?" "She was my ultimate masterpiece." "Open your little mouth." "Open your little mouth." "Like this." "How do you reverse the operation?" "Too late tor that." "I asked you, how do you reverse the operation?" "You need..." "HUGH'" "..intestine." "I don't need you any more." ", I'LL WAIT FOR YOU TO SMOKE YOUR LAST GIG" "WHERE YOU SMOKED YOUR FIRST." "I think your rather repetitive and boring job is becoming unacceptable." "I had no way to imagine he would manage to kill him." "Imagine, you say?" "Imagine this is your last mistake." "Do you know, , why men die?" "Men die because they cannot match beginnings and ends." "Give HB." "Soviet, piss off." "I tired of promises to become Zar of all Russians." "Give HB." "You wouldn't know how to use them." "Give HB." "Here they are." "Bastard." "You killed the Boss." "He deserved to die." "The HBs." "I should kill you." "But it's not up to me to end your life." "You already dead." "What will you do now?" "L..." "Sell HB and realise my dream." "And become a Zar?" "Niel." "Build big statue to honor" "Soviet cinema directors:" "Ejzenstejn," "Vertov," "Pudovkin." "Want?" "No." "I've quit." "Tell me how to reactivate the account." "To reactivate account you must put two fingers in account ass." "Everybody know." "Is it still recording?" "Enjoy your death, ." "Dasvidania." "Say hi to the Bolshoi." "You smoke a second one and you don't feel anything more than the first one, then a third one, which gives you less than the second one." "It's time you stop." "The virtue of nicotine seems to be fading." "It is clear that the truth you're after is not in it, but it's in you." "Nicotine stirred it up, but is not aware of it and it can only repeat, with waning strength, the same testimony that you're unable to interpret and that you would like at least to give it again" "and to find again, available, unscathed, shortly afterward, for a conclusive explaination." "Do you have surgery skills, too?" "As long as you don't smoke," "I can do whatever you want me to." "Alright, then, let's go." "Eszter." "Has the time come?" "Yes." "Come on, then." "Are you ready to die?" "Yes." "Finally." "Kiss me." "you have seen"