Michael wakes up in the desert and has flashes of memory of another life. He hears gunshots and sees men chasing an old man through the mountains. Michael goes to the man's assistance and carries him to a nearby cave. The old man lies dying and Michael asks why he was chased. The man tells Michael to find 554. He then stares up at Michael in surprise, realizes that he's a newcomer, and says that his existence is a miracle. The old man says "Be seeing you" and then dies.
Michael buries the old man and then sets out across the desert to find civilization. As the sun sets, he comes to a community of nice neat houses organized in nice neat rows. He approaches a taxi and the driver asks where he wants to go. Michael tells the man to take him to the railroad station but the driver has no idea what a railroad or a train is, and explains that he only provides local service. Michael jumps out of the cab and spots a local bar, Club More. He goes inside and spots an attractive brown-eyed woman watching him. He approaches her and she invites him to dance. Michael asks where he is and the woman simply says that he's in "the Village." She wonders if he's sick and Michael admits that he isn't sure since he's having trouble trying to grasp who and where he is. A security guard comes in and Michael runs out to the street. He finds the same taxi drive and tells the man to drive.
As they drive, the driver complains about the hours. Michael notices a photo and the driver says that it's his daughter, 832. Puzzled, Michael asks what he means and the driver explains that his daughter has a number, no name. The driver introduces himself as 147. When Michael realizes that everyone has a number, he tells 147 to take him to 554. The driver obliges and a neighbor directs Michael across the street to the café. 554 is a young woman who works as a waitress. She asks what Michael wants, but all they have are wraps and coffee. Michael orders coffee and tells her that the old man had a message for her. 554 says that 93, the old man, was a drunk who came in occasionally and she has nothing to do with him. However, when she learns that 93 got away, 554 admits that she didn't believe it was possible. When the security men come around, 554 tells Michael to get out through the back. Michael keeps ahead of the security teams and finds himself on a second-story ledge. As he prepares to jump, a man in a white suit appears on the street below, casually tossing a hand grenade up and down. Michael sees him and jumps...
... and wakes up from a dream of the white-suited man telling him that he is Six. Michael discovers that he's in a hospital and his doctor is the woman from Club More. She introduces herself as 313 and tells him that he's been asleep for awhile. She tells him not to fight and that he's free to go home.
However, Six is taken to an office where the white-suited man, Two, is waiting for him. Two insists that Six isn't a prisoner and points out that none of the doors are locked. He asks why Six was in the mountains, and Six insists that he was lost and that he's not a number. Two asks him for his identity papers and Six discovers that he has papers which simply identify him as Six. He refuse to respond when Two asks him about 93, and asks to be taken back to New York. Two claims to have no idea what New York is, and says that there is only the Village.
Six goes to his new flat and finds it fully furnished... and identical to the apartment he remembers from New York. He goes outside and hears a public announcement about the missing 93, identified as a mentally disturbed individual. He goes to the shop and tries to buy a map, only to discover there are local maps only. The shop owner knows him by name and claims that Six has always been there, and everyone knows everyone.
Back on the street, 313 approaches Six and asks where he's going. When he insists on leaving, she warns that he won't get far and wonders how she can stop him. He asks for the truth and she insists that the truth is that he's one of them. Six steals a taxi and drives to the end of the road, and then starts climbing into the mountain, only to find nothing but more mountains beyond. He collapses, and remembers...
A woman who looks like 313 approaches Michael in a diner and asks to borrow her phone, claiming she forgot hers. Once she's done, she chats with Michael and starts to go. He follows her and asks for his phone back, and she admits that she lied and she actually lost her phone. She observes that he has a bag of alcohol and Michael says that he is going to a party. He invites her along and when she declines, he admits that he lied and he's drinking alone to celebrate his escape.
Six collapses from the heat and 313 drives out to pick him up and return him to the Village. As he wakes up, she points out that he was talking to someone. 313 insists that she just wants to help him and that's why she's so interested in his fantasy life. She has no idea why he would want to leave, and 313 explains that he was meeting with a woman. However, he can't remember anything after he invited the woman to come back with him.
At Palais Two, Two takes pills from a bottle, put them on a tray with a meal, and goes to a woman's bedroom.
147 and his wife are at home when they receive a summons asking them to come to the clinic to meet with Two, and to bring a particular item.
As they return to town, Six figures that 313 is working with "them" and wants to trick him into revealing what he knows about 93. She dismisses his paranoia as part of his delusion but Six insists that he's a prisoner. Once alone, he takes a bus to 93's flat and searches the place. He finds a number of empty bottles of alcohol... and one bottle with drawings inside of it. Two and his son, 11-12, arrive. Two comments that Six's presence is odd given he denied knowing 93. Six believes that 93 shared his believe that there is more than the Village but Two dismisses it as a fantasy, insisting that that the Villagers are contented and hopeful. He warns Six that there is no "out" to escape to, but Six believes that if 93 found an escape, then he can to. He accuses Two of trying to take away his mind, but Two assures him that they'll always return it.
Six meets with 554 and shows her one of the drawings from the bottle. It's a picture of Big Ben. She admits that 93 claimed the drawing was from his former life, but she knows nothing else and Six must leave her alone.
147 and his wife take a cherry cake to the clinic and meet with Two and 11-12. Two gives them service medals and advises the couple to wear them at all times, and asks about Six. 147 admits that the Six was strange, and Two assures him that Six has been dealt with.
Later, Two makes a public announcement claiming that they found 93 and as he lay dying, asked that they honor the Village and sing an anthem in his name. At the café, Six convinces 554 to meet with him. She explains that 93 came to believe that they were all prisoners, and that he was beginning to remember his old life. She wonders if Six is one of Them, but he insists that she can trust him and promises to keep her safe. They agree to meet at the café the next day.
Two visits his comatose wife and gives her pills while he sits at her bedside. 11-12 comes in and asks about Six and his delusion. Two explains that a simple life isn't enough for people like Six and they always wants to escape. He tries to comfort his son and gives his wife a gentle kiss.
Six goes to the cemetery and finds the grave where 93 is to be buried. 313 comes to see him and he wonders why she's there. The two of them spar and Six invites her to lie beside him and look at the sky. He talks about the stars and how much more there is out there, and 313 concedes that there might be another Village somewhere. She has no knowledge of any great inventors, artists, or actors, and she wonders if Six is trying to trap her. He isn’t sure, and 313 admits that she isn't sure either. She asks him if he remembers anything more about the woman who looks like her.
The woman introduces herself as Lucy and Michael says he'd like to get to know her. She agrees to go with him tonight.
Six wakes up as 93's funeral procession goes by. He follows them to the cemetery and realizes that there's no body. He confront Two, saying that 93 found a way out, and Two explains to 11-12 that Six has to convince himself someone else found an escape so he can convince. Six angrily leaves and 11-12 considers what he's said.
As Six goes to see 554 at the café, he finds 147 waiting for him. He questions the driver's motives but 147 insists that he's just trying to be nice. He promises Six that he'll always be there for him. As Six approaches the café, he remembers a voice on the radio talking about traffic jams and gas leaks. The café suddenly explodes, knocking Six to the ground.
Michael lies on a city street, and then remembers watching a woman on a security camera talking about smothering a man with a pillow.
Six wakes up and crawls over to 554. She thanks him for the opportunity to meet him and hopes that they can escape together. She tells Six that 93 said to follow the towers. Six can only watch as the paramedics take 554 away, and then turns to see two glass towers on the horizon.
At the hospital, 313 tries to save 554's life. When Six arrives, she says that he should have stayed away from 554. 313 admits that occasionally there are incidents, but eventually they are taken care of. 313 warns Six not to make things worse and leaves.554 dies and is taken away. Six goes to Palais Two while remembering his promise to keep the waitress safe. He yells at Two that he will escape no matter what, but Two ignores him and eats his cherry cake. Six runs into the desert and approaches the glass towers, only to see a huge white sphere emerge from the sands. It prevents him from approaching by smothering him unconscious.
Share this article with your friends