8. The Human Kind

Complete story — includes the ending

Walter and Astrid analyze an Observer implant to assess its effects on the human brain. They find that the implant greatly stimulates intellectual capacity but renders the individual unable to experience emotions. Meanwhile, Peter uses his Observer implant to predict Windmark's movements. He is confronted by Windmark, who has predicted his movements in turn. After a brief fight, Peter escapes and asks Walter to dress his wounds. Walter urges him to remove the implant, fearing that the changes to Peter's brain will otherwise become permanent. Peter refuses and explains that he wants to avenge Etta. Following the instructions on another tape, Olivia retrieves an industrial-size electromagnet from a junkyard. On her way back, she is tricked into stopping her truck and captured by two men who want to collect the reward for her. She manages to kill them and escape with the magnet. When Olivia urges Peter to remove the implant, telling him that emotion is what makes them human, he does so.