still under quarantine
on the ship.
Why are they still on deck?
They're afraid to go down below.
Look, I sympathize with
the plight of your crew here...
and I appreciate
the ghost ship tour and all...
but I just flew in from an oil rig,
I'm dead tired...
and what exactly
do you want from me?
Answers, Ms. Patterson.
Explanations. The explanation.
Explanations of what?
Oh, come on.
Not the Bermuda Triangle.
I have ships traversing
the entire globe...
but I've only lost them
in the Triangle.
I need to know
what's happening here.
What I want is nothing less
than the definitive reason...
why almost 1,000 ships
and nearly 8,000 souls...
have been lost
over the centuries.
Why this group?
Yeah, you could afford anyone.
We werert his first choices.
Or even his tenth, probably.
Yes, it's true. You werert
exactly my first choice...
but you have, shall we say,
risen to that position.
Yeah, because we showed up.
What is important is that you each
bring a distinct discipline...
from the scientific
to the more ethereal.
- And me?
- Ah, you, Mr. Thomas.
Yes, you're my referee...
the ultimate arbiter.
You are my Triangle expert.
I've examined your work in...
What's the name of
the publication you write for?
The Observer.
The Observer, that's right.
You've interviewed
every legitimate explorer...
every wild-eyed crackpot.
You know every theory...
And I don't believe any of it.
Exactly. Now, what they propose,
I want you to vet very hard.
See, this endeavor...
it isn't about hypotheses
and suppositions.
It isn't about "what ifs"
and "just maybes."
This is a journey.
This is a quest for truth.
The truth. To uncover something
that's managed to evade...
everyone that has gone before you.
Look, you said something
about money?
I mean, if you want me
to set aside all my projects...
I mean, all my other projects...
and start researching this...
then you're going to have
to compensate...
Not just research, Dr. Geller.
This isn't some weekend gig...
that you palm off
onto your grad students.
This is field work.
This is getting your feet wet
and your hands filthy...
and going wherever
you need to go...
and doing whatever you need to do
to bring me what I need.
And for that...
when you bring me that...
I'm prepared to give
each of you $5 million.
Each?
He said "Each."
The funds are already
in escrow accounts...
in a bank in the Cayman islands.
Rather fitting, I thought.
But understand this...
it is not payable for trying.
You only collect when you deliver.
That's why all the other
candidates passed.
I'm very serious about this,
Mr. Thomas.
What possible answer
could we give you?
What has happened to my ships.
It's simple.
So, I'm assuming that
there'll be some kind of contract...
that our lawyers can look at...
Decide now.
You start tonight.
Well, we don't get some part
of the money up front?
I mean, what if...
It's an all-or-nothing
proposition, Dr. Geller.
All or nothing.
I'm a man who does
his homework...
and I do not expect
to get a "No" from any of you.
$20 million.
You've got 15 minutes.
The name on the deposit slip
is Bruce Geller.
Geller with an "e-r."
So this is proof that
the money's there waiting for us?
I guess I should call my paper...
and tell them I'm taking
a leave of absence?
In the morning.
Listen, is there anyone there
who speaks better English? English!
The amount I'm looking at
is $5 million.
- Work space, whatever you need.
- American dollars.
The whole 5 million?
And he can't just take it back?
As soon as he gives his OK,
the money is mine?
- Personal items, clothes...
- OK, got it.
Definitely got it. Thank you.
Thank you very, very much.
What's your name again?
- Ackerman.
- I've got some staff...
some key staff
I want to bring along.
This is your team.
Mr. Benirall was very specific
about not wanting...
to unbalance the dynamic of...
What about expenses? Per diem?