Plot

As a trial experiment seemingly tailored to his daughter's genetic disease falls into Caleb Vito's lap, he unquestioningly joins the doctor's cause, unveiling a sinister nightmare of his true purpose and place within the grasp of the laboratory.

The story begins with the viewer looking at flashing lights, and various flashbacks from several home videos from Mortimer and Vito's past. Mortimer and his friend and business partner Broehein open their shop for the first time, Vito chases his daughter McKayla around a living room, saying, "I'm gonna get you!" Mortimer narrates over the footage, pondering life and death, and their struggle to answer questions about mortality.

We cut to a Vlog in Mortimer's office, adorned with several clocks. He expresses how far he and his team have come in their project, before taking out a plush octopus from a box. He holds it out in front of him and says, "Alas, poor Yorick." before wiping his hands clean of the dust from the box.

We cut to a scene of Mortimer and Nashide driving up to the shop from the beginning of the film. They walk up to Broehein, who is working on a carburetor. Mortimer ribs him and says he's using his time inefficiently, before receiving a text from his girlfriend, Nadia Keins, saying, "Where are you?" Mortimer tells Broehein that Nadia is working late, which she prefers. Broehein eyes at Nashide's breasts and tells her that Nadia and her might get along. Nashide shrugs it off irritated.

The three of them drive to drop Nashide off at her office. Broehein looks annoyed as Mortimer walks Nashide to her office. He explains Broehein's behavior to Nashide, and says he's a handful, and feels intellectually inferior because of his lack of knowledge in neurology, equating it to Nashide's lack of knowledge in Computer Science. Nashide shrugs it off, and Mortimer reminds her that she needs her contract soon. Nashide walks into her office to sign the paperwork, but notices that the pen she's signing with says "MKPythagoris" on it, the name of her old business.

We see Mortimer talking to Kim Lu, a partner of the Angel Investment firm who is funding Mortimer's startup. She comes across very condescending, and asks about Mortimer's thesis, A Machine for Gods. She asks if he has his contractors signed on, to which he replies in due time. She stresses that she needs the contacts or the money can't be fronted.

We see Vito talking to McKayla's mother, Anna, over the phone. He explains that Dr. Keins spoke about an experimental treatment that may help their daughter and said he could help. Anna says he's a good man, and could have loved him if things were different between them.

Vito shows up at a meeting with Mortimer and Broehein. Mortimer persuades Vito to sign the documents, and included in his contract are four star meals, a suite, and equity payments to help his child not have to work, if he has any or plans to have any.

Mortimer gets the contracts in to Robert Morgan, the Angel Investor, who shakes his hand.

We see Nadia pressing a stuffed animal up to McKayla's nose. She answers a call from Mortimer, who asks her if she's going to the party that night. She is confused by this, and doesn't recall a party, but agrees to go nonetheless.

The two of them prepare for a party while Nosferatu plays on the television set. He tells her she is beautiful, to which she replies that she isn't while her makeup is only on one eye.

We see a party happening between some of the scientists where they are playing poker. Broehein plays the bully pot, while Nashide begins crushing him through strategic playing. Mortimer introduces Nadia to the rest of the group. She learns that the scientists will be staying in the lab for three months. Nashide pulls Mortimer aside, saying that she doesn't want this business to be likened to her old business, MKPythagoris. He assures her it's not, and they sit back down. Broehein wants another round of poker, to Nashide's surprise. Mortimer tells her that he's fearless. Nashide considers this and tells them that she's turning in for the night.

Mortimer and Nadia make it home. Nadia confronts Mortimer about staying in the lab for three months, to which he says he told her about it. He raises his voice to verbally abuse her into submission.

Mortimer and his scientists Enter the laboratory to begin work.

We see Nadia enter the apartment alone. She stares at a bridal magazine, and ponders what will never be.

Mortimer meets with Robert and Kim, who offer there concerns at what they would have their subject, Vito, do, as well as their concerns with Nashide working on the project. Mortimer assures them that Vito is of sound mind, and that Nashide had nothing to do with the unethical incident at MKPythagoras, and stresses that they are not making a nootropic pill as that company tried to create, but are accomplishing something much more. He signs a non-disclosure agreement, and the money is fronted to them.

A party is held in celebration of the lab. Broehein and Mortimer discuss old times, before walking over to Vito, who stands in the corner, drinking alone. Vito sees Michael, a hunchbacked security guard, and attempts to make small talk. A vision of a lizard sticking his tongue out at him shoots through his mind as he peers into the eyes of the silent hunchback. Michael hobbles off, as Mortimer explains that he won't get much out of him, and that he only hires the best at what they do. Vito says that he doesn't feel that he is the subject he's looking for, and talks about his daughter McKayla, who has a genetic disorder, of which skips a generation, making him incredibly healthy but putting her in the hospital. Mortimer tells Vito that he had a patient much like his daughter, and that she was the reason he got into this field of science. He assures Vito that he is more so of a good fit for the project after he expresses himself, and that if he has any questions, he needs to come to him.

We see Clara and Nashide working while the party is going on. Clara is bored and wants to go to the party. Nashide asks for a Nootropic pill before sending her away.

Vito wakes from a trance in which he is lifting weights, shrieking in pain. He looks around his "suite", all decrepit and messed up. He sits on the bed, which squeaks terribly. He walks out into the hall, where he is greeted by Sarah McConnoly and her husband, Jamie Clark. They give Vito a tour of the lab. They reveal to Vito that Mortimer is to be trusted, and has helped everyone in the lab, including Nshide, who's reputation was destroyed after her colleagues lied to her, and created a safety hazard through her nootropic product, MKPythagoras. Vito asks about the project, to where they reveal that they are working on a machine, but the jargon between Computer Science and Biochemistry have trouble translating, and are overseen by Mortimer, the one person who ties the two together. They are building a Machine, but don't understand much about it, assuming that it administers trial medicine. Jamie also reveals that Sarah and he plan on having a life together. Vito assumed they had a child because of their youth, but Sarah responds that they are waiting til marriage. Vito says that he didn't do that for himself, and Jamie asks if he regrets having a child.

They walk down the stairs to the entrance of the lab through a wrought iron door. Sarah questions how much they think Vito was told, before a courier hands them a package. They go back into the lab, where they see Michael in the corner, breathing heavily. He hands them a clipboard, revealing that the package goes to a specific office, and hobbles off. They express there disdain for the creeping guard as they ascend the stairs.

Vito walks into the testing area, where he grabs a computer. He clicks on solitaire, which doesn't respond. He then clicks on Chess to begin playing. Michael watches him through a security camera.

Broehein sits in a break room reading Icarus. Nashide walks in, and they have a petty exchange. Broehein, frustrated, walks into his office and turns on the machine. It sparks at him, and Mortimer, standing behind him, asks how the machine is going. He expresses his frustration at his inability to comprehend what he is doing at all.

Sarah knocks on Mortimer's door and explains the problems the lab is having with the budget and the time line of the project's completion. Mortimer explains that he isn't worried. Robert and Lu discover this and try to call Mortimer, who stares at his phone allowing it to ring. Jamie walks in to Mortimer's office to ask for a copy of A Machine for Gods, which Mortimer hands over.

Vito walks into the dining room, to eat. He is presented with a can of chili with the words "4 Star" on it. He expresses his frustration as he walks out, to run into Nashide, who asks about his vitals. She stares at him as he walks away even more frustrated than before.

Jamie walks into Broehein's office, where he is interrupted by Broehein, who is looking for transistors for the machine. Jamie doesn't understand what those are and attempts to guide Broehein in the right direction. Broehein storms out, frustrated. Jamie sits A Machine for Gods down to make a call, and walks out of the office, leaving it there.

Broehein walks into Nashide's office where he asks for transistors from her. Out of frustration and anger of her own, Nashide assaults Broehein, yelling at him for making her seem stupid in front of her teammate. Witnessing this, Clara quits the team. Nashide curls up alone in the corner and sobs uncontrollably.

Broehein encounters Mortimer on the staircase, who holds up a transistor. He doesn't give it to Broehein, and tells him that he needs to be focused on the fundamentals of the project, and not a backup PSU. Broehein yells in anger at Mortimer, and Vito eavesdrops on the conversation. Broehein begins walking up the stairs once again, and Vito sneaks away. He sees "A Machine for Gods" and takes it. He sneaks past Broehein with the thesis and begins looking through it. On the final page, there is a picture of an octopus, with the words "Behold, I am the End" written on the page.

Vito sits in his room, confused. He gets a call from Anna, and speaks to her and McKayla over the phone. He remembers Jamie asking him if he regrets having a child. He puts his face in his hands.

Mortimer corners Nashide in her office, and she gives him her resignation out of exhaustion. This angers Mortimer, who then blackmails her into staying. To deal with the fatigue, he offers her a vial of her own MKPythagoras compound. The lab turns into a drug fueled frenzy as the compound is consumed, and Mortimer spikes the coffee.

Vito walks his way to Mortimers office, where he witnesses a scientist with a creepy smile adorning her face. Mortimer invites him into his office. He hears a dripping sound, which Mortimer explains away as plumbing issues. Vito expresses his concerns about Broehein and his conversation, and mention of an octopus. Mortimer explains that the octopus is an anomaly of a creature, and Vito, misunderstanding, believes they are trying to turn him into an octopus. Mortimer tells him that in all the ways that matter, he already is. He then notices the time and sends Vito away to bed. Vito notices a picture of Nadia stuffed away and recognizes her as Dr. Keins, who cared for McKayla. After he leaves, Mortimer notices a rat on the table. He crushes it in his hand.

Vito stays up and stares at the computer screen, frustrated. He gets up, sets the computer down, and notices a wire stretching across the ceiling. He follows the wire to a skull, that has a red recording light coming out an eye. He walks out of the testing room to see Michael skulking around. He chases Michael down the hall and through a staircase and corners him, confronting him about being recorded. Michael screams at him, revealing that he has no tongue.

This scares Vito into running through the lab. He finds Broehein, snorting the MKPythagoras. Broehein stares at him and asks in a raspy hollow voice, "Is a man still a man if you add four limbs?" He goes to grab Vito who slams the door in his face and runs. He walks into a dark office, where Nashide swings a bat and misses him. She shrieks "Bully pot" as she scrambles after him on the floor. Vito dodges his way past scientists until he reaches the the wrought iron door, which is locked. He rushes back in to find a different way out. He sneaks by a door to see Jamie and Sarah having rough sex in the bathroom, their eyes dilated heavily. He reaches Mortimer's office and sees that it is empty. He hears the dripping sounds and follows it to see Clara, dead, hanging out of an opening in the wall. He turns to see Mortimer, whom he shoves against the wall and asks what is going on. He's then cornered by a group of scientists, and is clubbed from behind.

We see Mortimer speaking to his vlog, a message of Robert playing on Mortimer's cell phone, yelling about Mortimer's fraud. Mortimer talks about how he didn't need him anyways, and had stolen funds from Nadia's bank account. All the while, a digital rat sniffs around on a monitor behind him.

Vito is tied to a chair, unable to break free. Mortimer walks in and explains that Vito is going nowhere. He signed his life away and belongs to the project.

Mortimer in a final vlog, toasts those who have given their lives to the project. He leaves the vlog on as he walks off.

Mortimer is then seen studying a speech while Vito is tied up to a chair, the Machine behind him. Mortimer mocks Vito and shows him pictures of his daughter, dead. Vito shrieks in agony as Mortimer throws a hood over his head.

The room is filled with scientists, still drugged, smiles stretched across their faces. Mortimer removes the mask from Vito's head as wires shoot into the back of Vito's skull, killing him. Scientists furiously begin writing notes. The notes say, "Behold, I am the End" over and over again. Mortimer gives a speech about life, and mankind's quest to reach immortality. He turns on the Machine, and we hear Vito's voice screaming from it. The audience applauds, detached from the human life within the Machine. He screams "I thought you were going to save me!" as the the camera zooms in on the monitor, revealing it as the lights from the beginning shot of the film.