ID4
INDEPENDENCE DAY
Dean Devlin & Roland Emmerich
AN AMERICAN FLAG
Oddly still, posted in gray dusty sand.
WIDEN TO REVEAL:
EXT. LUNAR SURFACE - THE MOON
One small step for man, one large pile of garbage for moon-
kind. Untouched for years, the flag stands next to the
castoff remains of the Apollo mission. Slowly the discarded
equipment begins to RATTLE and SHAKE.
AN ENORMOUS SHADOW creeps towards us blotting out the horizon,
a loud RUMBLE is heard.
Suddenly we are covered in DARKNESS as the SHADOW engulfs us.
Only the lonely image of our EARTH hangs in the air, until a
huge silhouetted OBJECT suddenly blocks our view.
CUT TO:
EXT. NEW MEXICO - RADIO TELESCOPE VALLEY - NIGHT
A field of large satellite dishes scan the skies.
Super up: S.E.T.I. INSTITUTE, NEW MEXICO
INT. INSTITUTE - MONITORING CONTROL CENTER - SAME
A lone TECHNICIAN works on his putting skills. Behind him,
wall to wall technical equipment quietly sifts through data.
A RED LIGHT begins to flash.
The Technician turns and slowly walks towards the source. One
by one a series of LIGHTS turn on. The Technician (TECH ONE)
grabs a pair of headphones. His eyes widen.
INT. SLEEPING QUARTERS - SAME
Sleepily a SUPERVISOR picks up the phone.
SUPERVISOR
If this isn't an insanely
beautiful woman, I'm hanging up.
INT. CONTROL CENTER - SAME
TECH ONE
Shut up and listen.
He holds the phone up to a speaker, increases the volume. A
strange FLUCTUATING TONE plays out in sequential patterns.
INT. SLEEPING QUARTERS - SAME
HEARING it, the Supervisor BOLTS UP, banging his head on the
bunk above him.
INT. CONTROL CENTER - MOMENTS LATER
A pajama party on acid. Five other technicians, in various
states of undress, hover anxiously around the main console.
The Supervisor enters, tying his robe.
SUPERVISOR
God, I hope it's not just another
damned Russian spy job.
TECH THREE
(overlapping)
Negative. Computer affirms the
signal is unidentified.
TECH TWO
(hanging up the phone)
The boy from Air Res Traffic say the
skies are clear. No terrestrial
launches.
TECH ONE
It's the real thing. A radio
signal from another world.
The room becomes quiet as they realize that after years of
searching the heavens, they might have finally found
something.
SUPERVISOR
Let's not jump the gun. Run a
trajectory source computation.
Tech Three slides over to another computer.
SUPERVISOR (cont'd)
I want to know exactly where it's
coming from.
TECH THREE
This can't be right.
Tech Three just stares at his screen in disbelief.
SUPERVISOR
What's wrong?
TECH THREE
Calculated distance from source is
at three hundred and eight five
thousand kilometers.
(turning to Supervisor)
It's coming from the moon.
The Supervisor reaches over and turns up the volume on the
speaker. As they listen to the strange TONES we...
CUT TO:
INT. HALLWAY - PENTAGON - SAME
Elevator doors OPENS revealing four star GENERAL GREY,
Commander in Chief U.S. Space Command. Understandably
nervous, the COMMANDING OFFICER escorts him down the hall.
GENERAL GREY
Who else knows about this?
COMMANDING OFFICER
S.E.T.I. in New Mexico identified a
signal but they're even more
confused than we are.
The General shoots him a disapproving glance.
COMMANDING OFFICER
Excuse me, Sir.
He slides his security card through the lock and the doors fly
open.
INT. SPACE COMMAND - THE PENTAGON - CONTINUOUS
Banks of computers, Technicians and assistants working
feverishly through the night. The Officers cross the room.
Super: SPACE COMMAND - THE PENTAGON
COMMANDING OFFICER
Satellite reception has been
impaired but we were able to get
these.
They arrive at a glass table. The surrounding officers snap
to attention as a SECOND OFFICER quickly brings over a large
transparency. We SEE a grainy image of a large vague OBJECT.
GENERAL GREY
Looks like a big turd.
The two Officers exchange a glance.
COMMANDING OFFICER
We estimate it has a diameter of
over five hundred and fifty
kilometers and a mass roughly one
fourth the size of our moon.
The General turns to the Second Officer, concerned.
GENERAL GREY
A meteor?
SECOND OFFICER
No Sir. Definitely not.
GENERAL GREY
How do you know?
SECOND OFFICER
Well, er... it's slowing down.
GENERAL GREY
It's doing what?
SECOND OFFICER
It's... slowing down, Sir.
The General walks over to a phone, picks it up.
GENERAL GREY
Get me the Secretary of Defense.
(pause)
Then wake him up.
CUT TO:
INT. WHITMORE'S BEDROOM - FRE-DAWN
Laying in bed THOMAS J. WHITMORE reads a stack of papers. The
phone RINGS.
WOMAN'S VOICE
(filtering through phone)
Hi. It's me.
The warm look on Whitmore's face tells us everything about how
he feels about the woman on the other end.
WHITMORE
Hi honey. What time is it there?
INT. HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT
Dressed in a night gown, MRS. MARGARET WHITMORE unpacks her
briefing papers lays them out on a small desk as she talks.
Through the window we SEE Los Angeles at night.
MARGARET
Two in the morning. I know I
didn't wake you?
WHITMORE
(filtered)
As a matter of fact you did.
MARGARET
(smiles)
Liar.
INT. WHITMORE BEDROOM - SAME
Whitmore sits up.
WHITMORE
I have a confession to make.
There's a beautiful young blonde
sleeping next to me.
Sleeping next to him, his six-year-old daughter, PATRICIA.
MARGARET
(filtered)
You didn't let her stay up
watching T.V. all night?
WHITMORE
Of course not.
The little girl stirs awake, looks up.
PATRICIA
Mommy?
WHITMORE
You're flying back right after the
luncheon? Okay, here she is.
Whitmore hands her the phone and gets out of bed. Habitably
he turns on the television.
T.V. - NEWS PROGRAM
Several "Pundits" sit around a MaLaughlin-type news discussion
program. The picture quality is snowy, static ridden.
PUNDIT #1
... the inexperience in public
office was inevitably going to
catch up with him. He's
scarified his ideals for
"politics as usual."
Whitmore ties on his robe as he adjusts the picture quality.
PUNDIT #2
...I said this during the
campaign. Leadership as a pilot
in the Gulf War has no
relationship to political
leadership. It's a different
animal...
Suddenly the channel changes. A cartoon comes on. Whitmore
turns to his daughter who holds he remote.
PATRICIA
(into phone)
Daddy let me watch Letterman.
WHITMORE
Traitor.
Whitmore exits the room.
INT. HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS
As Whitmore steps out of his bedroom, a Security guard snaps
to attention. Someone hidden behind a newspaper, sits on a
bench.
SECURITY GUARD
Good morning, Mr. President.
WHITMORE
Good morning, George.
The paper is dropped revealing CONSTANCE HALBROOK, mid-
thirties, aggressive, sharp, the President's communications
director. Quickly she gathers her things and follows
Whitmore.
INT. BREAKFAST TABLE - CONTINUOUS
Two servants are preparing breakfast as Whitmore and Constance
enter. Whitmore sits down, grabs a coffee.
WHITMORE
You're up early this morning,
Connie.
She tosses him one of the many newspapers in her hands.
CONSTANCE
They're not attacking your
policies, they're attacking your
age.
(another paper; reading)
"...addressing Congress, Whitmore
seems less like the President and
more like the orphan child Oliver
asking, 'please sir, I'd like some
more.'"
WHITMORE
Clever.
CONSTANCE
Age was never an issue when you
stuck to your gun. You were
thought of as young and
idealistic. But the message has
gotten lost. There's too much
compromise, too much politics.
WHITMORE
(pointedly)
Isn't it amazing how fast everyone
can turn against you.
Realizing she may be pushing him too far, she hands him
another paper.
CONSTANCE
Well, the Orange County Register
has named you one of the ten
sexiest men of the year.
WHITMORE
You see, substance at last.
An AIDE appears at the doorway.
CONSTANCE
Excuse me, Mr. President. It's
the Secretary of Defense.
Whitmore goes to the phone, picks it up.
WHITMORE
Yes? Say that again?
CUT TO:
AN OLD RUSSIAN SATELLITE
Drifting away from us the old Russian satellite becomes
smaller and smaller. We PAN with it as we SEE it's on a
collision course with something huge.
Suddenly the satellite EXPLODES on IMPACT with the much larger
object that dwarfs the puny piece of hardware. As huge as it
is, we get the feeling we've only seen a portion of the total.
NEW YORK SKYLINE - EARLY MORNING
A slow crane down from the Manhattan skyline, revealing...
EXT. CLIFFSIDE PARK - NEW JERSEY - MORNING
With the New York skyline across the Hudson behind them, old
men sit in this small park playing chess. Unlike the others,
DAVID MARTIN is in his early thirties, sixties hippie meets
nineties yuppie nerd.
He concentrates intensely on his next move. MOISHE. sixties.
smokes a cigar impatiently.
MOISHE
What are you waiting? My social
security will expire, you'll still
be sitting there.
DAVID
I'm thinking.
MOISHE
So think already.
David makes a move. Instantly Moishe counters his move.
David furls his brow in thought.
MOISHE
Again he's thinking.
Moishe reaches into a paper bag and retrieves a coffee in a
Styrofoam cup.
DAVID
You have any idea how long it
takes for those things to
decompose?
MOISHE
You don't move soon. I'll begin to
decompose.
Just as David finally makes his move, Moishe counters again.
David shoots him a look and stares back down to the board.
MOISHE (cont'd)
David, I've been meaning to talk
with you. It's nice you've been
spending so much time with me,
but...
DAVID
Dad, don't start.
MOISHE
I'm only saying, it's been what?
Four years, you still haven't
signed your divorce papers.
DAVID
Three years.
MOISHE
Three, four. Move on. It's not
healthy.
Moishe takes a big puff on the cigar and coughs.
DAVID
Look who's talking healthy.
Suddenly David's beeper goes off.
MOISHE
How many times is that now? You
trying to get fired?
David moves his queen.
DAVID
Checkmate. See you tomorrow, Dad.
He gives his father a quick kiss and hurries away.
MOISHE
That's not checkmate I can
still... Oh.
(yelling after him)
You could let an old man win once
in a while, it wouldn't kill you.
CUT TO:
EXT. NEW YORK CITY STREETS - MINUTES LATER
David pedals his bike through mid-town Manhattan. He arrives
at COMPACT CABLE SYSTEMS.
INT. COMPACT CABLE OFFICES - LATER
His bike hoisted on his shoulder, David squeezes through the
revolving doors. MARTY GILBERT, short, nervous and harried,
comes rushing over.
MARTY
What the hell is the point of
having a beeper if you don't turn
it on?
DAVID
It was turned on. I was ignoring
you. What's the big emergency?
MARTY
Started this morning. Every
channel is making like it's
nineteen fifty. Snow, static, all
kinds of distortions. No one
knows what the hell is going on.
David deposits his bike in the kitchenette as Marty tosses his
coke bottle in the trash. David retrieves it.
DAVID
Damn it, Marty. There's a reason
we have bins labeled "recycle."
Finding more bottles in the trash, David turns to Marty
accusingly.
DAVID
What the hell is this?
MARTY
So sue me.
Before David can say anything, Marty ushers him out of the
room.
INT. TRANSMISSION FEED - CONTINUOUS
Technicians are working feverishly. Clearly every monitor is
experiencing varying degrees of signal disruption. David
moves over to the main console.
DAVID
Did you try to switch to
transponder channels?
MARTY
Please, would I be this panicked
if it was that simple?
David examines the readouts, puzzled.
DAVID
Let's retrofit the dish to another
satellite.
MARTY
We've tried. It's not working.
It's almost as though they
weren't even there.
David looks up, puzzled.
DAVID
That's impossible.
CUT TO:
A TELEVISION SET
Bad reception. A hand SMOCKS the side of it. No use.
WIDEN TO REVEAL:
INT. MOBILE HOME - DAY
Eleven-year-old TROY BRENNON tries to fix the television.
His older brother MIGUEL, seventeen, cooks breakfast.
MIGUEL
Stop it.
TROY
It's all fuzzy.
MIGUEL
You're gonna break it. Just leave
it alone. Here, take your
medicine.
Miguel sits a small bottle of medicine and a spoon down in
front of Troy. Troy pushes the bottle away.
TROY
I don't need it.
MIGUEL
(pushing it back)
Just take it, dick head.
(turning to his sister)
Alicia! Make sure he takes his
medicine.
His sister, ALICIA, fourteen, hormones kicking in, testing
boundaries, listens to her walkman while putting on too much
makeup. Miguel throws a dish towel to get her as Troy hits
the television again.
EXT. TRAILER PARK - SAME - MORNING
A beat up pick-up truck comes down a dirt road and skids to a
halt on the gravel next to the Brennon Mobile Home at this
small shabby countryside trailer park. An angry FARMER jumps
out, slamming his door.
INT. BRENNON MOBILE HOME - SAME
Alicia opens the front door and smiles flirtatiously at the
angry farmers, LUCAS, who marches over. Miguel edges her out
of the doorway, wanting to handle this himself.
MIGUEL
Morning, Lucas.
Lucas holds a bowl full of rotted vegetables.
LUCAS
You like these! I've got a whole
goddamned crop full!
Unceremoniously, he dumps them at Miguel's feet.
LUCAS (cont'd)
Where the hell is your father?
You know what time it is?
MIGUEL
He had to re-fuel. There musta
been a problem.
LUCAS
We both know what the problem is.
He's a damned nut case, is what he
is. I musta been out of my mind.
Troy SMACKS the television again.
MIGUEL
Troy, stop it! I swear to God!
LUCAS
Miguel, if he's not in the air in
twenty minutes, that's it. I'm
getting someone else.
Lucas storms away. Again, Troy whacks at the television.
MIGUEL
Stop it, Troy! I swear to God!
Determined, Troy HITS the television again. This time the
picture goes out completely.
CUT TO:
EXT. SPACE - THE ORBIT - SAME
Rolling over us, the immense under-belly of this enormous
craft obliterates our view. A loud SCREECH. Suddenly the
bottom begins to SEGMENT.
Dozens of large sections begins to DISENGAGE, extracting
themselves, twisting away from the larger bilge.
The separated SEGMENTS themselves are enormous. Slowly they
twist downwards on a collision course to the blue planet
below... Earth.
CUT TO:
INT. WHITE HOUSE - BASEMENT CORRIDORS - DAY
Under a barrage of questions from her own staff, Constance
hurries down the corridor.
AIDE #1
CNN is running a story that we're
covering up some kind of nuclear
testing experiments...
CONSTANCE
Tell them to run with it if they
want to embarrass themselves.
AIDE #2
NASA has been up my butt all
morning. They want to know our
position.
CONSTANCE
Our official position is we don't
have an official position.
AIDE #3
Connie, what the hell is going on?
Constance escapes into the elevator, turns around.
CONSTANCE
(smiles confidently)
Come on, people. Would I keep you
guys out of the loop?
AIDE #1
In a second!
AIDE #2
Absolutely.
Before she can retort, the elevator doors close.
INT. OVAL OFFICE - WIDE SHOT - SAME
The President, General Grey, the SECRETARY OF DEFENSE and
White House Chief of Staff ALBERT NIMZIKI are gathered around
the couch.
SEC. OF DEFENSE
At the moment, our satellites are
somewhat unreliable. Isn't it
possible that thing may just pass
us by?
NIMZIKI
What if it doesn't "pass us by?"
Let's retarget some ICBMs to blow
it out of the sky...
GENERAL GREY
Forgive me, but with the little
information we do have, the only
thing that would accomplish is
turn one dangerous falling object
into many.
Just then the door opens and Constance enters.
PRESIDENT WHITMORE
What's the damage?
CONSTANCE
The press is making up their own
stories at this point.
NIMZIKI
(to General Grey)
Get on the horn with Atlantic
Command. Let's upgrade the
situation to DEFCON 3.
GENERAL GREY
That's not your call to make, Mr.
Nimziki.
CONSTANCE
Isn't that a little premature?
NIMZIKI
I don't think so.
SEC OF DEFENSE
We're two days away from the fourth
of July. We have over fifty percent
of our armed forces on weekend leave,
not to mention the troops and
commanders we have in town for the
Fourth of July parade. We call them
back now, we're sending up a major red
flag.
They go quiet as Commanding Officer from Space Command dashes
into the room.
COMMANDING OFFICER
Our intelligence tells us the
object has settled into a
stationary orbit.
NIMZIKI
Well that's good news.
COMMANDING OFFICER
Not really.
He lays out the diagrams and photos on the table. Everyone
gathers around.
COMMANDING OFFICER
Part of it has broken off into
nearly three dozen other pieces.
PRESIDENT WHITMORE
Pieces?
COMMANDING OFFICER
Smaller than the whole, yet over
fifteen miles in width themselves.
NIMZIKI
Where are they heading?
COMMANDING OFFICER
They should be entering our
atmosphere within the next twenty-
five minutes.
The room is silenced. All eyes turn to the President who says
nothing. Nimziki leans in close to him.
NIMZIKI
Like it or not, we're at DEFCON 3.
Recall the troops and put them on
yellow alert.
CUT TO:
YELLOW LIGHTS FLASHING ON
as an ALARM quickly BUZZES. David leans into frame and opens
the door to the microwave. We WIDEN to reveal...
INT. DAVID'S CUBICLE - COMPACT CABLE - DAY
David retrieves his home-make cup-a-soup. We SEE this cubicle
clearly has the David touch; ecology posters, plants, tons of
computers and electronic gizmos.
MARTY
Please, tell me you're getting
something.
Marty enters, looking over David's shoulder as he eats.
DAVID
There's good news and bad news.
MARTY
What's the bad news?
DAVID
You're in meal penalty for
disturbing my lunch.
MARTY
And the good news is you won't
charge me.
DAVID
No. The good news is I found the
problem and it's not our
equipment. There's some weird
signal embedded within the
satellite feed.
MARTY
That's the good news?
David slides over to another computer and turns on an
intricate computation program.
DAVID
Yes, because the analog signal has
a definite sequential digital
patterns embedded within it. When
I find the exact binary sequence
and I apply a phase reversed
signal to that calculated spectra
analyzer I built you last
Christmas, we should be able to
block out the overlay completely...
MARTY
...and we'll be the only guys in
town with a clear picture? That's
my man.
CUT TO:
EXT. CALIFORNIA FARMLANDS, IMPERIAL VALLEY - DAY
Racing over back roads behind a long open field, Miguel rides
his beat-up motor bike, searching. Looking up he SEES
something in the air.
MIGUEL'S POV - AN OLD BI-WING AIRPLANE
converted into a crop-duster, BUZZES overhead. Spraying
insecticide wildly, the plane zigzags over the field.
MIGUEL
(yelling)
Russell! God damn it, Russell!
Looking down from the cockpit, RUSSELL BRENNON waves stupidly.
Shaggy blonde hair and two days' growth, Russell is the image
of a fifty-one-year-old little boy.
Miguel follows him below, screaming at him. Russell, flying
recklessly, looks down at Miguel not understanding. By the
time he looks back he SEES...
A LINE OF TREES
at the edge of the field, nearly on top of him. In a trick
move, Russell turns the plane on ITS SIDE, and SLICES through
the narrow gap between the trees.
Miguel screams with delight at his prowess. Miguel looks
pissed.
ANGLE - OTHER SIDE OF TREES - MOMENTS LATER
Miguel races over, skidding to a halt next to the landed Bi-
with plane.
MIGUEL
Just what the hell do you think
you're doing?
RUSSELL
(climbing down)
I'm bringing home the bacon.
Earning my keep. And doing a fine
job if I do say so myself.
MIGUEL
It's the wrong field, you idiot!
Lucas' farm is on the other side
of town.
RUSSELL
You sure?
MIGUEL
Damn it, he was doing you a favor.
You know how hard it is to find
someone who doesn't think you're
completely crazy?
(MORE)
What are we supposed to do now?
Huh? Where are we supposed to go
now?
Pissed, Miguel peels away, kicking gravel back at Russell.
Pathetically, he reaches into his jacket and pulls out a
bottle of Jack Daniels. He takes a healthy swig.
CUT TO:
EXT. IRAQI DESERT - REFUGEE CAMP - NIGHT
A tent city. Ubiquitous overcrowding and poverty. Several
hundred refugees settle down for the night.
Super: Northern Desert, Iraq
A BEDOUIN stokes a small fire besides his family's tent.
Suddenly a group of shouting SCREAMING TRIBES PEOPLE come
rushing past him.
The Bedouin watches them with confusion. Overcome with
curiosity he goes against the tide of people, up the hillside.
As the Bedouin reaches the top of the hillside, his mouth
falls open, aghast as he SEES...
THE SKIES - THE PHENOMENON
Creeping from across the horizon above the rocky mountain
terrain, a wide FIREBALL high in the sky, flaring and
exploding. A terrifying sight.
CUT TO:
EXT. USS EISENHOWER - AIR CARRIER - ESTABLISHING - DAWN
Super: Battle Carrier, USS Eisenhower - Persian Gulf
INT. USS EISENHOWER - RADAR ROOM - DAY
A loud KLAXON ALARM is ringing out. The FIRST LIEUTENANT
comes rushing in.
LIEUTENANT
Ensign, status?
SAILOR #1
We have a total radar black out
over a thirteen kilometer area.
The Lieutenant moves over to the main radar screen. The
entire upper portion of the screen is BLANK. And the blank
area is MOVING.
LIEUTENANT
Have a complete diagnostic run...
SAILOR #1
Excuse me sir, radar may be
malfunctioning but infrared is off
the map!
He diverts the Lieutenant's attention to another screen; A
BRIGHT SEA OF RED light bleeds off the map.
LIEUTENANT
Get the CINC Atlantic Command on
the line.
CUT TO:
INT. PENTAGON - COMMANDING CENTER - DAY
A technical OFFICER rips off a data sheet as it shoots out of
the printer and rushes over to the Commanding Officer.
OFFICER
Sir, we now have visual range with
incoming over Iraqi airspace.
COMMANDING OFFICER
A second sighting?
OFFICER
Yes Sir, this just came in from
the Eisenhower.
The Commanding Officer grabs a phone laying off the hook.
COMMANDING OFFICER
Correction, we have two confirmed
visual contacts. One over Iraq,
one over the Pacific.
INT. OVAL OFFICE - DAY
The room is packed. The President and his chief advisors are
there along with the Joint Chief of Staff. Representatives
from the Atlantic Command and U.S. Space Command have formed
small clusters around telephones.
GENERAL GREY
Where in the Pacific?
(turning to the President)
They've spotted one off the
California coast line.
Surrounded by the Secret Service, the President is speechless.
Constance Halbrook comes rushing into the room and whispers to
the President.
PRESIDENT
Put it on.
Constance moves over to a cabinet and turns on the T.V. (the
reception is still fuzzy, picture "rolling"). The CNN News
broadcast shows the phenomenon over Novosibirsk, Russia.
There is mass hysteria behind the reporter.
NEWSCASTER
(filtered)
...sightings of this atmospheric
phenomenon have been reported here
in Novosibirsk, Russia and other
parts of Siberia. Moving too
slowly to be a comet or meteor,
astronomers are baffled as to its
origin...
Everyone is locked onto the television, mesmerized.
NEWSCASTERS (cont'd)
(filtered)
...Widespread panic has gripped
the countryside as thousands have
taken to the streets and clogged
the highways. Hundreds have been
injured...
General Grey confers with the Atlantic command CINC. He nods,
turns to the President and whispers.
GENERAL GREY
Mr. President, we have an AWAC on
the west coast. E.T.A. with
contact point, three minutes.
INT. AWAC AIRPLANE - DAY
Wall to wall computer, radar and intelligence gathering
equipment. Technicians frantically try to adjust as the
system goes hay wire.
RADAR TECH #1
(reporting into radio)
It's no use. Side radar doesn't
see a thing!
RADAR TECH #2
(reporting)
That's correct. We're IMC blind,
sir.
We TRACK across them over to the pilots and into the cockpit.
Cloudy skies. The PILOT squints out the window as he speaks.
PILOT
Negative. We still have zero
visibility.
EXT. AWAC AIRPLANE - CLOUDY SKIES - DAY
ZOOMING overhead as we SEE the AWAC sailing through a thick
cloudy sky.
Super: Pacific Coastline, California
The AWAC disappears from view into the clouds.
INT. OVAL OFFICE - SAME
The President and his top advisors are gathered around a
speaker phone listening to the pilot of the AWAC.
PILOT
(filtered)
Instrumentation is malfunctioning.
We can't get any kind of reading
on what's in front of us.
INT. AWAC - SAME
The Pilot squints as he tries to see through the clouds.
PILOT
Wait a minute, it may be clearing.
Suddenly the clouds part before us and we're face to face with
a WALL OF FLAMES.
INT. AWAC - SAME
The speaker phone cracks and distorts.
PILOT
(filtered)
Jesus God! The sky's on fire!
EXT. AWAC AND PHENOMENON - SAME
The AWAC attempts to climb sharply as we get our first real
look at the atmospheric phenomenon. Majestic and monstrous.
The AWAC is not going to be able to make it.
Quickly it is ENGULFED in the flames.
INT. OVAL OFFICE - SAME
The phone line goes dead. General Grey spins to an AIDE.
GENERAL GREY
Get them back on line.
AIDE #1
(on other phone)
Line's gone, sir.
The ATLANTIC COMMAND CINC, turns from a different phone.
AAC CINC
Two more have been spotted over
the Atlantic. One is moving
toward New York, the other is
headed this direction.
CHIEF OF STAFF
How much time do we have?
AAC CINC
Less than ten minutes.
NIMZIKI
(turning to aid)
Organize a military escort to
Crystal Mountain.
GENERAL GREY
(to President)
Sir, I strongly recommend we
move you to a secured location
immediately.
... The President hesitates, he turns to Constance.
PRESIDENT
Can we expect the same kid of
panic here as in Russia?
CONSTANCE
More than likely.
NIMZIKI
Mr. President, you can discuss
this on the way.
Torn, the President grapples with a decision. Finally...
PRESIDENT
I'm not leaving.
NIMZIKI
We must maintain a working
government in a time of crisis...
PRESIDENT
I want the Vice President,
Secretary of Defense, the whole
Cabinet and the Joint Chiefs taken
to a secured location.
I'm staying here. I am not going
to add to a public hysteria that
could cost lives.
NIMZIKI
But, Mr. President...
PRESIDENT
So far these things have not
become hostile. For the moment
let's assume they won't.
(to Constance)
Connie, let's issue statements
advising people not to panic, to
stay home and take cover.
Constance issues commands to her staff as they quickly
exit along with most people in the room. General Grey goes
over to the President.
GENERAL GREY
With your permission, Mr.
President, I'd like to remain my
your side.
PRESIDENT
I had a feeling you would.
GENERAL GREY
Sir, what happens if they do
become hostile?
PRESIDENT
Then God help us.
CUT TO:
INT. DAVID'S CUBICLE - DAY
On the T.V. behind David, news footage of the phenomenon in
Russia plays silently. Oblivious, David works his computers.
FEMALE CO-WORKER
(stopping in doorway)
David, are you watching this?
David waves her away, deep in concentration. Suddenly a
computer BEEPS. Excitedly David prints out his finding. He
grabs it and exits.
INT. COMPACT CABLE OFFICE - CONTINUOUS
Engrossed in his printout, David walks past his co-workers who
are glued to the distorted picture on the television, watching
the phenomenon.
INT. MARTY'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS
Marty stares at his television watching General Grey
addressing the press. David enters, staring at his reading.
DAVID
I've got a lock on the signal
pattern. We can filter it out.
MARTY
(distracted)
Huh? Oh, good, hood.
DAVID
Strange thing is, if my
calculations are right it'll be
gone in approximately seven hours
anyway. The signal reduces itself
every time it recycles.
Eventually it will disappear. Are
you listening?
MARTY
(still glued to T.V.)
Can you believe this?
DAVID
What re you talking about?
MARTY
Haven't you been watching?
David turns for the first time to the television and sees the
phenomenon. Constance comes on addressing the press.
CONSTANCE
(filtered)
...so far the phenomenon has not
caused any damage. In all
likelihood it won't...
INT. WHITE HOUSE PRESS ROOM - SAME
More reporters rush in from the back quickly setting up as
this hastily called press conference continues.
CONSTANCE
...everyone should remain calm.
Take cover where you can but the
important thing is not to panic.
INT. BRENNON MOBILE HOME - SAME
Miguel, Alicia and Troy watch the static riddled T.V.
CONSTANCE
(filtered)
...we have a fix on three
different occurrences about to
appear over American cities. One
is headed toward Los Angeles...
INT. MARTY'S OFFICE - SAME
CONSTANCE
(filtered)
...the other two are on our
Eastern seaboard headed towards
New York and Washington, D.C...
Suddenly hectic CO-WORKER #2 appear at the door.
CO-WORKER #2
Jamie says this building has an
old bomb shelter. We're heading
down there now.
MARTY
(dry; to David)
Feel no shame in hiding.
INT. HALLWAY -- CONTINUOUS
A crowd of people head down the hall for the shelter while
others stay glued to the set. There is a mix of fascination
and panic. David watches the commotion, dumb struck.
MARTY
Oh shit, I better call my wife.
INT. AIRPORT DINER - LATE MORNING
Depressed Russell nurses a beer at the counter. Three FLIGHT
MECHANICS walk in, having a good laugh. One of them spots
Russell and moves over to him.
MECHANIC #1
Hey, Russ, heard you had a little
trouble this morning. Dusted the
wrong field?
The Mechanics laugh. Russell tries to ignore them.
MECHANIC #2
I know, you're probably still a
little confused from your hostage
experience.
MECHANIC #2
Hostage experience? Something
happen to you, Russ?
MECHANIC #1
He ain't never told you!? Seems
years back our boy here had been
kidnapped by aliens. Did all
kinds of experiments on him and
such. Tell him, Russ.
RUSSELL
Not today, guys. Okay.
Russell gets up and heads for the door.
MECHANIC #1
You just gotta get a couple more
beers in him, he'll tell you all
about it. Crazy stuff. Won't
you, Russ?
EXT. SMALL AIRPORT - CONTINUOUS
The Mechanic follows Russell outside, his buddies in tow.
MECHANIC #1
Hey, Russ, when they took you up
in their space ship, they do any
sexual things to you?
The mechanics crack up laughing. Suddenly the things around
them begin to RUMBLE. The SHADOW engulfs them, silencing the
Mechanics.
Panicked they turn and RUN AWAY. Russell just looks up at the
sky, grabs his Jack Daniels and takes another swig.
EXT. TRAILER PARK - SAME
Dogs bark and people stumble out of their trailers as an
enormous SHADOW creeps over them.
INT. BRENNON MOBILE HOME - CONTINUOUS
The windows grow DARK and the room begins to RUMBLE. Miguel
rushes to the door, ushering his siblings out.
EXT. TRAILER PARK - CONTINUOUS
Alicia and Troy step out the door, stopping dead in their
tracks. Miguel follows them only to look up and SEE...
THE PHENOMENON - DARK CLOUDS
The flames are burning out, replaced by huge plumes of dark
smoke billowing around the edges of the phenomena. Only small
traces of extinguishing flames illuminate it.
INT. COMPACT CABLE - STAIRWELL - SAME
David pushes past the people making their way down, fighting
against the tide. Another CO-WORKER (#3) stops halfway.
CO-WORKER #3
Aren't you coming, David?
DAVID
No way, I've got to see this.
EXT. WASHINGTON MONUMENT - SAME
Frightened tourists run for cover as the colossal SHADOW
approaches. Reflected in the water below we SEE the fiery
apparition transfigure into the dark foreboding clouds.
THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL - WASHINGTON, D.C. - SAME
The SHADOW writhes up the detailed statue of Lincoln,
devouring him completely until we are left in total darkness.
INT. WHITE HOUSE - HALLWAYS - SAME
People are being evacuated from their offices. Patricia, the
President's daughter, breaks away from her nanny.
INT. WHITE HOUSE - OVAL OFFICE - SAME
The President talks on the phone. Constance waits nearby.
PRESIDENT WHITMORE
(into phone)
Of course, Russia and the United
States are in this together. Yes,
Mr. President, you have my word.
Yes, Das Vedanya.
The President hangs up.
CONSTANCE
What is their position?
PRESIDENT WHITMORE
I think he was drunk.
Patricia bursts through the door and runs into her father's
arms, terrified. A SECRET SERVICE man appears.
SECRET SERVICE GUY
Mr. President, we have to go.
Abruptly, the room DARKENS as it begins to RUMBLE.
EXT. WHITE HOUSE - SAME
The long, dark SHADOW moves across the entire White House,
engulfing it in darkness.
EXT. HUDSON RIVER, NEW YORK - STATUE OF LIBERTY - SAME
In the distance we SEE the mutated phenomenon's dark gray
clouds nearing Miss. Liberty. As it approaches we SEE the New
York skyline begin to darken.
EXT. BLACK TOP BASKET BALL COURT, NEW YORK - SAME
Kids playing basket ball. A young BOY stops playing, staring
skyward. One by one, they all look upwards, stunned as a long
dark SHADOW creeps over them.
With a loud CRASH, several New York Cabs SLAM into one another
in the street. Two more cars crash into them. A pile up
ensues.
EXT. WALL STREET - SECOND LATER
Foot traffic stops as the long SHADOW crawls over the entire
area.
EXT. ROOFTOP - COMPACT CABLE - SAME
Large satellite dishes beset a doorway to the roof which flies
open. David steps out just as a long, dark SHADOW covers over
him, sending the city into darkness. David looks up to SEE...
SKYLINE AND ALIEN CRAFT
Protruding through the dark clouds we get a glimpse of the
underbelly of a colossal ALIEN CRAFT, its outer veneer of
smoke and clouds beginning to fade away.
Below we see PANIC, cabs SLAMMING into one another, people
staring, people screaming. No one knows how to react.
David runs to the other side of the rooftop, overlooking
Central Park, to get a better look.
DAVID'S POV - CENTRAL PARK - SAME
The entire park is plunged into darkness as the craft above
blots out of the sun. Amazing as it may seem, the hovering craft
BLANKETS THE ENTIRE PARK and BEYOND. We still have NOT seen
an entire craft.
DAVID
(realizing)
My God. The signal.
EXT. LOS ANGELES BASIN - WIDE ANGLE - LATER MORNING
A panoramic view of the Los Angeles basin. Slowly filling the
screen, we SEE a portion of the enormous space craft as it
creeps towards the city, obliterating our view.
EXT. HILLSIDE RESIDENTIAL AREA - SAME
A station wagon, filled with kids and a harried HOUSEWIFE,
comes to a stop. The passenger door opens and a young six-
year-old boy, DYLAN steps out.
HOUSEWIFE
Dylan, tell your mom you can stay
overnight again Thursday.
Suddenly a car SAILS over a nearby hill in front of them,
hitting the ground with a BANG. Two more cars follows, air
bound. As the Housewife turns she SEES...
SPACE SHIP - SAME
Rising over the mountain we SEE the Space Ship as it nears the
city, blocking out the sunshine.
Panicked, the Housewife hits the gas and peels out, leaving a
confused Dylan staring skyward.
INT. BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS
Two people sleep as Dylan runs into the room.
DYLAN
Mommy, look at!
He rushes away. The SHADOW moves past the window, darkening
the room. His mother, JASMINE DUBROW, stirs.
JASMINE
(re: darkness)
It's too early, baby.
She turns back over. Suddenly the room briefly RUMBLES.
MAN
Earthquake?
JASMINE
Not even a four pointer. Go back
to sleep.
Shrugging, the man does.
HOLLYWOOD SIGN (FORMERLY SC. 72) - SAME
In Los Angeles. The SHADOW slowly covers the sign.
EXT. WHITE HOUSE - WINDOW - SAME
The President and his daughter cautiously approach the window
staring in awe at the amazing sight above them. Several
others approach from behind.
Cautiously some people begin to walk outside, staring up at
the leviathan, mouths agape.
INT. OVAL OFFICE - SAME
Slowly staff members approach, gazing out the window.
Constance steps up behind the President.
CONSTANCE
What do we do now?
PRESIDENT WHITMORE
Address the nation. There are a
lot of very frightened people out
there right now.
CONSTANCE
Yeah. I'm one of them.
EXT. WASHINGTON D.C. - ALIEN CRAFT - SAME
All of Washington is under the shadow of this gargantuan alien
craft. A stunning tableau.
CUT TO:
INT. JASMINE'S DEBROW'S BEDROOM - SAME
The man sleeping next to Jasmine's beagle BOOMER drops
Steven's tennis shoes on top of him, waking him.
JASMINE
He's trying to impress you.
STEVE
He's doing a good job.
He pats the dog on the head and takes the shoes. Steven gets
up and makes his way to the bathroom.
INT. BATHROOM - CONTINUOUS
As Steve takes a pee, he SEES out the window a family packing
up their car, others standing around staring at something in
the distance. A HELICOPTER flies overhead.
STEVE
Neighbors are moving. I think
they're tired of earthquakes.
He finished and flushes.
INT. LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Steve enters the living room. The television is playing a
news broadcast.
NEWSCASTER
...with little damage reported to
the southland area. People are
advised not to panic...
STEVE
Hon, something's on the table 'bout
the quake.
Jasmine sits up in bed, yelling out to Steve.
JASMINE
Dylan out there?
Steve turns, looking for Dylan when the doggie door pops open
and Dylan crawls through.
STEVE
What have you been up to, Sport?
DYLAN
(holding his gun)
Shooting aliens.
Steve musses up the boy's hair, smiling.
JASMINE
(entering)
Coffee?
Steve mumbles an affirmative as he exits.
EXT. JASMINE'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Steve picks up the morning paper and opens it. He doesn't
notice the DOZENS of neighbors quickly packing up and rushing
to get away as he reads the paper oblivious.
JASMINE (O.S.)
You want milk with your coffee?
Jasmine appears behind him, her view, too, obscured by the
open newspaper. Suddenly another HELICOPTER room overhead.
Annoyed, Steve lowers his paper.
STEVE AND JASMINE'S POV
As the paper is lowered we SEE the helicopter SWOOP down. As
it flies away we SEE...
THE ALIEN CRAFT
Covering all of Los Angeles. This is the first time we see
the entire craft. It is stupendous. Steve's jaw hits the
floor. The milk goes CRASHING as Jasmine SCREAMS.
CUT TO:
INT. STAIRWELL - DAY
Running for all he's worth, David sprints down the stairs.
INT. COMPACT CABLE OFFICE - CONTINUOUS
Dashing off the stairs, David stops seeing that the room is
now completely empty. The wall of monitors play for no one.
David walks up to one, adjusting the volume.
T.V. - CNN BROADCAST - (DISTORTED BROADCAST SIGNAL)
A space ship logo spins next to the words VISITORS: CONTACT OR
CRISIS. Wolf Blitzer comes on screen live from the Pentagon.
WOLF BLITZER
Pentagon officials are reporting
more ships have just arrived over
the capitals of India, England and
Germany.
As he speaks we get quick glimpses of the other ships.
MARTY (O.S.)
I know, babycakes. Calm down.
David spins around at the sound of the voice but the room is
still empty. David leans down and looks under a desk where he
finds Marty still on the phone with his wife.
DAVID
Tell her to get the kids and leave
town.
MARTY
What happened?
DAVID
(yells)
Just do it!
Marty realizes David is dead serious.
MARTY
Babycakes, pack the kids up and
take them to your mother's. Don't
ask. Go.
Mary hangs up, crawls out from under the table.
MARTY (cont'd)
Okay, why did I just send my
family to Atlanta?
DAVID
Remember I told you that the
signal hidden within our satellite
signal is slowly recycling down to
extinction.
MARTY
Not really...
DAVID
That signal. It's a countdown.
MARTY
(confused)
A countdown to what?
DAVID
Think. It's like in chess. First
you strategically position your
pieces. Then, when the timing's
right. You strike.
David motions to the television.
BLITZER
...there are additional
unconfirmed sightings over Japan,
the Mediterranean, and China...
DAVID
They are positioning themselves
all over the world and using this
one signal to synchronize their
efforts. In approximately six
hours the signal will disappear
and the countdown will be over.
MARTY
Then what?
DAVID
Checkmate.
Marty takes a beat to digest. Then, grabbing the phone....
MARTY
I gotta call my brother, my
bookie, my lawyer... fuck my
lawyer...
David also grabs a phone. Suddenly the bank of monitors
synchronize into one enormous image across the entire video
wall; the President addressing the nation.
INT. PRESS ROOM, WHITE HOUSE - SAME
The President stands at the podium giving his address.
PRESIDENT WHITMORE
My fellow Americans, a historic
and unprecedented event has taken
place. The question as to whether
or not we are alone in the
universe has been answered...
ANGLE - SIDE ENTRANCE TO PRESS ROOM
As Constance watches the President, she unconsciously mouths
the words of his speech, after all, she did write them. A
PRESS AIDE tugs on her sleeve. She tries to wave her off.
PRESS AIDE
He says he's your husband.
Her expression drops. She takes the phone from her.
CONSTANCE
What do you want?
DAVID
(filtered)
You have to leave the White House.
CONSTANCE
This is not the time or the place
to have this same old discussion.
INT. COMPACT CABLE OFFICES - SAME
DAVID
You don't understand. You have to
leave Washington.
INT. SIDE OFFICE, WHITE HOUSE - DAY
Impatient, Constance tries to get off the phone.
CONSTANCE
In case you haven't noticed, we're
in a little bit of a crisis here.
DAVID
(filtered)
I've worked with embedded loading.
They're communicating with a
hidden signal. They're going to
attack...
CONSTANCE
You're being paranoid.
DAVID
(filtered)
It's not paranoia. The embedding
is very subtle. It's probably
been overlooked...
Constance hangs up. Her face betrays mixed emotions.
INT. COMPACT CABLE OFFICES - SAME
David stares at the phone, pissed. Something on T.V.
catches his attention. Through the snowy image he SEES...
PRESIDENT WHITMORE
(filtered)
...My staff and I are remaining
here at the White House while we
attempt to establish
communication...
Hanging up the phone, David sprints for the exit.
PRESIDENT WHITMORE (cont'd)
...so remain calm. If you are
compelled to leave these cities,
please do so in a safe and orderly
fashion.
SMASH CUT TO:
CABS SLAMMING TOGETHER - NEW YORK CITY STREETS
The rush to get away creeps slowly as cars jam the streets in
total grid-lock. David pedals his bike furiously through
traffic.
EXT. GEORGE WASHINGTON BRIDGE - NEW YORK - DAY
The mass exodus has reached the bridge. Total congestion.
David fights his way through.
EXT. CLIFFSIDE, NEW JERSEY - LATER
The New York skyline behind him across the Hudson, David jumps
off his bike, and races towards a row of tract houses.
EXT. MOISHE'S TRACT HOUSE - SECONDS LATER
David BANGS on the door. It flies open. Moishe is holding a
hunting rifle, pointing it at David.
DAVID
Pops!
MOISHE
The television said they've
started with the looting already
Vultures.
DAVID
You still got the Olds?
MOISHE
You want to borrow the car? You
don't have a license.
DAVID
That's okay. You're driving.
CUT TO:
INT. JASMINE'S HOUSE - DAY
Steve, wearing his Marine flight officer uniform, shoves the
last of his things into his duffel bag. We notice there are
small figurines of dolphins everywhere. Jasmine hovers
nervously behind him.
JASMINE
You can't go. Call them back.
STEVE
Baby, you know how it is. I have
to report to El Toro right away.
JASMINE
You said you were on leave for the
Fourth.
STEVE
They cancelled it. Why are you
acting like this?
Jasmine grabs the blinds and yanks them away. We SEE the
alien craft through the window.
JASMINE
Why? That's why. That thing
scares the piss out of me.
EXT. DEBROW HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Dylan sits behind the wheel pretending to drive. Steve grabs
him, pulling him out. He reaches into his duffel, grabs a small
brown paper bag.
STEVE
Here. I got these for you. Be
careful with them.
Dylan opens the bag; fireworks. Jasmine walks over.
DYLAN
Cool.
Steve tosses his gear into the back, opens his door.
JASMINE
Wait. I have to tell you
something.
STEVE
What?
JASMINE
(loses her nerve)
Be careful.
STEVE
Look, after your shift tonight,
why don't you grab Dylan and come
stay with me on base.
JASMINE
Really? You don't mind?
STEVE
(smiling)
Naw. I'll just tell my other
girlfriends they can't come over
tonight.
Pissed, she hits him. He loves it.
JASMINE
You know, you're not as charming
as you think you are.
STEVE
Yes, I am.
JASMINE
Dick-weed!
STEVE
Butt-munch.
They kiss. Steve hops into his car and peels out. Jasmine
takes the bag from Dylan.
JASMINE
I'll take these.
DYLAN
Mommmmmm...
CUT TO:
EXT. JERSEY - HIGHWAY - LATER THAT DAY
A perfectly preserved '68 Olds drives cautiously down the
highway. Around him we see other cars packed to the gills as
they make their escape from New York.
INT. OLDS - SAME
Not the most confident driver, Moishe holds the steering wheel
close to his chest.
MOISHE
It's the White House, for crying
out loud. You can't just drive up
and ring the bell.
DAVID
Can't this thing go any faster?
MOISHE
You think they don't know what you
know? Believe me, they know. She
works for the President. They
know everything.
DAVID
They don't know this.
MOISHE
And you're going to educate them?
Tell me something, you're so smart
how come you spent eight years at
M.I.T. to become a cable
repairman?
DAVID
Dad...
MOISHE
All I'm saying is they've got
people who handle these things,
David. They want HBO, they'll
call you.
CUT TO:
INT. HOTEL LOUNGE, LOS ANGELES - LATE AFTERNOON
Mrs. Whitmore is at a house phone. Behind her we see several
news crews waiting for interviews.
PRESIDENT WHITMORE
(filtered through phone)
I want you out of there.
MARGARET
You're staying there to keep
people calm. It's the right thing
to do. I'm not going to let them
criticize you for it.
INT. WHITMORE BEDROOM - WHITE HOUSE - SAME
The President sits on his bed, his daughter lays next to him,
watching T.V. The signal distortion is getting worse.
PRESIDENT WHITMORE
Okay, fine but the second your
interviews are done, I have a
helicopter ready to take you to
Nellis Air Force...
MARGARET
(filtered)
How's the munchkin?
PRESIDENT WHITMORE
She's glued to the T.V., just like
the rest of the world. I love you
too. Here she is...
He hands Patty the phone as General Grey and Nimziki appear in
the doorway. The President walks over to them.
GENERAL GREY
More ships keep arriving, fifteen
in total so far.
NIMZIKI
This is crazy. We're loosing our
first strike capabilities!
GENERAL GREY
We're trying to communicate with
them on all frequencies but we're
getting nowhere. Atlantic Command
is working on a type of visual
communication.
PRESIDENT WHITMORE
What the hell are they up to?
CUT TO:
EXT. TRAILER PARK - NIGHT
A long crowded highway of people trying to escape from Los
Angeles can be seen in the distance. The huge space craft
hovering behind them.
Miguel is on the roof of the trailer, adjusting the T.V.
antenna trying to get a picture. Suddenly the image clears
and we SEE a group of people in a crowded hallway.
REPORTER
(filtered)
...a local crop duster was
arrested today attempting to land
at Edwards Air Force Base...
On the T.V. we SEE Russell being escorted to a police car.
Mortified, Miguel can't believe what he's seeing.
RUSSELL
They've got to do something.
I was abducted by space aliens ten
years ago. They did all kinds of
experiments on me. They've been
studying us for years, learning
our weakness. We've go to do
something before they kill us all!
TROY (O.S.)
Just as Troy starts to climb up, Miguel changes the channel to
Mrs. Whitmore. Troy sits down next to Miguel.
MRS. WHITMORE
(filtered)
...we need to remain calm. As
more people decide to leave the
cities, safety is key...
MIGUEL
Troy, you remember Uncle Hector,
from Tucson?
TROY
He's got that SEGA Saturn CD, 64
bit, right?
MIGUEL
Yeah. What would you think if we
went there to live for a while?
TROY
That'd be cool!
Miguel thinks for a second, makes a decision.
MIGUEL
Pack up, we're going.
Miguel jumps down from the roof. Troy climbs down the ladder.
TROY
(yelling after him)
What about Dad?
ALICIA AND OLDER BOY
Kissing. It's getting hot. Alicia laughs, pushes him away.
OLDER BOY
This could be our last night on
Earth. You don't want to die a
virgin, do you?
ALICIA
What makes you think I'm a virgin?
The Older Boy is taken off guard. Before he can answer the
tarp they were hiding under is ripped away. Miguel stands
there.
MIGUEL
Come on, we're going.
ALICIA
I'm not going anywhere...
Miguel grabs her by the wrist and pulls her away.
EXT. FREEWAY - OUTSIDE WASHINGTON - NIGHT
We see the long highway leading to Washington, the space ship
hovering above it. One side of the freeway is packed solid,
the other completely empty, save for one car...
INT. MOISHE'S OLDS - NIGHT
Moishe looks to the other side of the freeway, jam packed. On
his side, they are the only car for miles.
MOISHE
The whole world is trying to get
out of Washington and we're the
only schmucks trying to get in.
As Moishe drives, David distracts him as he unpacks his
backpack unloading his laptop. He grabs a CD.
MOISHE (cont'd)
What the hell is that?
DAVID
This, pops, is every phone book in
America.
MOISHE
You think an important person like
Constance is going to be listed?
DAVID
She always keeps her portable
phone listed, for emergencies.
Sometimes it's just her first
initial, sometime her nickname...
David starts to look it up. Suddenly...
DOZENS OF CARS HEADING STRAIGHT FOR THEM
In the attempt to get out, hundreds of cars have been re-
directed by the military to use the opposite side of the
highway.
MOISHE
Oh my God!
Moishe SWERVES violently to avoid collision, barely missing
the oncoming traffic. Dodging right to left, Moishe hangs on
for dear life.
A Military Office, assisting in diverting the cars turns just
in time to see the Olds whiz by.
David and Moishe are bounded around the inside of the car as
Moishe tries to veer through traffic.
Suddenly A TRUCK blocks off their only escape route.
Moishe turns HARD and drives up onto the right shoulder.
OVERHEAD ANGLE - OLDS AND TRAFFIC
The Olds is the only car in headed that direction. Using the
shoulder, swerving to miss barricades, they drives off an exit
ramp.
DAVID
Nice driving, pops!
Dangerously close to a heart attack, Moishe is, for once, at a
loss for words. Over their adrenaline pumped faces...
MALE VOICE (V.O.)
...put your hands together for
Sabrina!
CUT TO:
INT. STRIP CLUB - LOS ANGELES - NIGHT
A bikini-clad Sabrina twirls gracefully on the stage. As she
comes to a stop we reveal Sabrina is actually Jasmine. She
looks out into the audience and her expression DROPS.
REVERSE ANGLE - JASMINE'S POV - EMPTY CLUB
Five strippers and eight customers. All crowded near the
television watching the news.
ANGLE T.V. - ROOFTOP - LOS ANGELES
Helicopter footage of people gathered on the rooftops of
downtown Los Angeles holding up drawings of space aliens.
NEWSCASTERS
(filtered)
...from the "it could only happen
in California" file, hundreds of
UFO fanatics have gathered on the
rooftops of downtown Los Angeles,
welcoming the new arrivals...
INT. DRESSING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Jasmine storms into the dressing room. Wiping off her makeup,
she sits down next to TIFFANY who watches the same report on a
small b&w.
JASMINE
I can't believe I even came in
tonight. What was I thinking?
TIFFANY
(re: T.V.)
Isn't this cool? And you thought
I was nuts. Oh, look, I brought
mine with me.
Tiffany holds up a drawing of a space alien.
JASMINE
You're not thinking of joining
those idiots?
TIFFANY
I'm going over there soon as I'm
off. Wanna come?
Jasmine turns to Tiffany, dead serious.
JASMINE
Tiffany, I don't want you to go up
there. Promise me you won't.
(Tiffany pouts)
Promise!
TIFFANY
I promise.
JASMINE
Okay. I'm gone. I'm outta town
for a while.
Her boss MARIO enters and walks over to his private office in
back. He opens the door and finds Dylan playing with his dog,
Boomer.
MARIO
What the hell's your kid doing
here?
Jasmine rushes past picking up Dylan and carrying him away as
she heads for the exit. Boomer follows.
JASMINE
You try to find a sitter today.
MARIO
Where do you think you're going?
You leave, you're fired.
JASMINE
(out the door)
Nice working with you, Mario.
CUT TO:
EXT. WASHINGTON D.C. - NIGHT
The streets are nearly deserted. Millions of small lights on
the underbelly of the craft cast strange reflections on the
streets below. The Olds drives on its way towards the Capitol
building.
INT. OLDS - CONTINUOUS
David types frustratedly on his laptop.
MOISHE
Not listed, huh?
DAVID
I just haven't found it yet. I
tried C. Halbrook, Connie
Halbrook, Spunky Halbrook...
MOISHE
Spunky?
DAVID
College nickname.
MOISHE
You try Martin?
DAVID
She didn't take my name when we
were married.
Moishe shrugs. David gives it a shot. Finds it. The machine
BEEPS.
MOISHE
(sarcastic)
So what do I know?
CUT TO:
INT. LOCKER ROOM - EL TORO MARINE CORPS STATION - NIGHT
A crowded locker room. Steve enters.
MALE VOICE (O.S.)
Where the hell've you been?
STEVE
Ah, were you guys waiting for me?
Several Marines throws towels at Steve as he makes his way to
his locker. His best friend, JIMMY, sits next to him.
JIMMY
Can you believe it? This is
serious shit, Stevie. They've
recalled everyone!
As Steve sits he SEES some envelops stuck into the side of his
locker.
STEVE
Well, the mail's still working.
He flips through the envelops and FREEZES when he sees one
with the NASA insignia on it. Jimmy snatches it away from
him.
JIMMY
Junk mail. You don't want this.
Steve quickly snatches it back, right it open and reads. From
the disappointment on his face we can tell it's bad news.
Realizing, Jimmy puts a hand on Steve's shoulder.
JIMMY
I don't believe it. They make you
learn how to fly everything from
an Apache to a Harrier and still
they turn you down? What else do
they want you to learn?
STEVE
How to kiss ass.
Steve crumples at the letter and tosses it. Angrily he opens his
locker. Pasted on the locker door we see photos of Jasmine
next to the photos of the space shuttle, Apollo Missions, and a
NASA insignia bumper sticker.
As Steve stuffs his jacket into the locker, something falls
out. Before Steve can grab it, Jimmy snatches it up first.
JIMMY
(embarrassed)
Jasmine has this thing for
dolphins. I had them make it...
STEVE
I thought you said you were doing
to break it off.
Steve snatches it back, embarrassed.
JIMMY (cont'd)
Steve, listen to me, you're never
gonna get to fly the space shuttle
if you marry a stripper.
Steve knows he's right. He's torn.
CUT TO:
EXT. WHITE HOUSE - MOMENTS LATER - NIGHT
The Olds stops near the White House. From here we can SEE
tanks and armed patrols. A small group of protesters have
gathered, upset about the military hardware. Signs: "Don't
provoke" "Violence begets Violence."
INT. ODS - CONTINUOUS
David adjusts a small portable satellite, connecting it to his
phon and laptop computer.
MOISHE
So, you want to ring the bell or
should I?
David flips open the phone, dials the number on the screen.
DAVID
Perfect, she's using it.
MOISHE
It's perfect the line is busy?
DAVID
Yes. I can use he signal to
triangulate her exact position in
the White House.
MOISHE
You can do that?
Shooting his father a look.
DAVID
(sarcastic)
All cable repairmen can.
INT. WHITE HOUSE - HALLWAY - MOMENTS LATER
Constance is just finishing a call on her cellular phone.
CONSTANCE
...Sally, take my cat with when
you leave. No I'm staying here at
the White House. Take care.
The moment she hangs up, it RINGS. Surprised, she answers.
CONSTANCE
What?
DAVID
(filtered)
Connie, don't hang up.
CONSTANCE
David? How'd you get this number?
DAVID
Walk to the window. Right in
front of you.
Constance looks up to the large glass windows. She walks over
to it, looking out.
CONSTANCE
What am I looking for?
CONSTANCE'S POV - STREET - OLDS - DAVID
Between two of the tanks outside, Constance can SEE David
standing on top of the Olds across the street. Moishe steps
out, waves. Constance is stunned.
CONSTANCE
(to herself)
How does he do that?
CUT TO:
INT. BRENNON TRAILER - NIGHT
Sulking, Alicia sits in back with he walkman on. Troy sleeps
while Miguel drives. Suddenly Miguel his the brakes, as
something comes SAILING DOWN FROM THE SKY.
We realize it's the B-WING PLANE landing on the stretch of
roadway directly in front of them.
EXT. ROADWAY - CONTINUOUS
The plane lands, skids into a turn. Russell jumps out, walks
over to the trailer. We can tell he's drunk again.
MIGUEL
They let you out?
RUSSELL
Just what the hell do you think
you're doing?
Miguel moves to meet Russell away from the trailer, not
wanting the others to hear.
MIGUEL
We're leaving, don't try and stop
us.
RUSSELL
You're not going anywhere. You
hear me? I'm still your father.
Miguel explodes, this has been building up for some time.
MIGUEL
No, you're not! You're just the man
who married my mother. You're
nothing to me!
Russell is momentarily silent, stunned. Recovering...
RUSSELL
Troy's still my son no matter how
you feel about me.
MIGUEL
For once in your life think about
what's best for Troy. Who has to
beg for money to buy him medicine
when you screw up? Who?
Suddenly we hear glass CRASHING. Both men spin to find Troy
standing behind them.
TROY
Stop it! I'm not a baby! I don't
need your stupid medicine. I
don't need anyone to take care of
me!
Miguel leans down to see the broken MEDICINE BOTTLE on the
floor. Miguel rushes over to him, furious.
MIGUEL
You know what this stuff costs?
Do you want to get sick again!?
Do you!?
Frustrated, Miguel shoves Troy aside and heads back into the
trailer. Wobbly from the drinking, Russell stands there
pathetically, watching.
EXT. ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE - NIGHT
A large group of press rush over toward FOUR APACHE
HELICOPTERS, each refitted with a large LIGHT BOARDS, as they
slowly lift off the ground. Cameras flash, reporters yell
questions to the Officers assigned to keep them at bay.
Several news organizations do stand up remotes. We TRACK past
them to the CNN crew.
CNN REPORTER
What you see behind me are four
Apache helicopters...
INT. BRIEFING ROOM - WHITE HOUSE - SAME
On the television plays the CNN broadcast. The reception is
intermittently disrupted.
CNN REPORTER
(filtered through T.V.)
...each has been refitted with
what Pentagon officially hope will
be our first step in communicating
with the alien craft...
We WIDEN to reveal a large contingent of military personnel
along with the President's chief advisors gathered around
several monitors, (the center monitors are momentarily blank).
Suddenly everyone snaps to attention as the President enters.
PRESIDENT
Where are we?
GENERAL GRAY
They're in the air.
CUT TO:
INT. OFFICE OF THE COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR - SAME
Moishe inspects a photo of Constance with the President,
impressed he nods with approval.
MOISHE
(to himself)
Very nice.
Constance is looking at David's laptop displaying the
breakdown of the alien signal.
CONSTANCE
And when is the countdown supposed
to expire?
DAVID
(checking)
Fifty six minutes, forty five
seconds.
Constance runs her fingers through her hair, exasperated.
Moishe turns, listens.
CONSTANCE
What do you want me to do?
DAVID
I want you to leave with us.
Right now.
CONSTANCE
I can't leave. We have to tell
this to the President.
DAVID
He's not going to listen to me.
Surprised at his son, Moishe steps forward.
MOISHE
Sure he'll listen. Why wouldn't
he?
DAVID
Because last time I saw him I
punched him in the face.
MOISHE
You punched the President in the
face?
DAVID
He wasn't the President then.
CONSTANCE
David thought I was having an
affair, which I wasn't.
MOISHE
Punched the President? Oh my god.
APACHE HELICOPTERS
ZOOM by overhead. In the distance we see they are headed for
the enormous alien craft.
INT. HELICOPTER - PILOT - CONTINUOUS
The PILOT adjusts his radio.
PILOT
Echo one, we are closing in.
EXT. SKIES - CONTINUOUS
The choppers alter their formation, aligning themselves
alongside one another. As the helicopters near the craft, we
see how tiny they appear against the gargantuan space ship.
INT. HALLWAY - ELEVATORS - WHITE HOUSE - MINUTES LATER
The elevator doors open and Moishe steps out, overwhelmed and
impressed. Constance leads them down the hall. Moishe turns
to David, whispers.
MOISHE
If I had known I was going to meet
the President, I'd a worn a tie.
Look at me, I look like a
schlemiel.
INT. OVAL OFFICE - CONTINUOUS
The Office is empty as the trio walks in. Moishe can't
believe he's in there. He straightens himself up, combs his
hair.
CONSTANCE
Wait here. I'll be right back.
David sets up his laptop.
MOISHE
Not on his desk.
INT. BRIEFING ROOM - NIGHT
The middle monitors are now on. They show the night vision
P.O.V. of the helicopters as they approach. On the side
monitors we SEE the various news broadcast of this event.
NEWSCASTER
(filtered)
...the helicopters are making
their final approach...
On the middle monitor, through the night vision camera on the
lead helicopter we SEE the side of the craft as the
helicopters near. Everyone in the room watches, tense.
Constance enters and kneels down next to the President,
whispering in his ear. The President gets up and follows
Constance. Chief of Staff Nimziki objects.
NIMZIKI
You're leaving now?
The President silences him with a look. As they exit.
CONSTANCE
I don't know how you put up with
him.
PRESIDENT
He used to run the NASA. He knows
where all the bones are buried.
Comes in handy.
CONSTANCE
I'll bet.
INT. OVAL OFFICE - SAME
The door flies open and Constance and the President enter.
The moment President Whitmore sees David, he freezes.
PRESIDENT
What the hell's he doing here?
Moishe, bursting, steps forward.
MOISHE
Moishe Martinsburg, Mr. President.
CONSTANCE
My ex-husband works in satellite
communications.
PRESIDENT
I don't have time for this...
With a BANG, David suddenly KNOCKS everything off the
President's desk and starts to draw on the ink blotter.
DAVID
It's about "Line o sight," Mr.
President...
David draws a circle representing Earth and a smaller circle
just away from it. The President reluctantly nears.
DAVID
...If you wanted t coordinate
with ships all over the world, you
couldn't send one signal to every
place at the same time. That's
called line of sight...
Drawing a line from the ship of either side of the Earth, we
SEE that you could not send a signal to the other side.
DAVID (cont'd)
...you'd need to relay your signal
using satellites...
David draws small satellites surrounding Earth.
DAVID (cont'd)
...to reach each ship. I have
found a signal hidden inside our
own satellite network.
Suddenly an aide, ALEX, appears in the doorway.
ALEX
Excuse me, Mr. President. They're
starting.
The President turns to the monitor in his office. We SEE the
helicopters turning on the light boards affixed to the front
of their cockpits. He turns back to David.
DAVID
Mr. President, they are using our
own satellites against us and the
clock is ticking.
EXT. HELICOPTERS - SAME - NIGHT
The large light panels TURN ON, multi-colored lights slowly
begins to flash in a repeating sequential patterns.
REVERE ANGLE - HELICOPTERS AND SPACE CRAFT
The helicopters are puny little specs next to this Goliath.
The light boards continues to FLASH but there is no reaction
from the ship.
INT. BRIEFING ROOM - SECONDS LATER
Everyone is glued to the monitors as the President storms in.
PRESIDENT
General Grey, co-ordinate with
Atlantic Command. Tell them they
have twenty five minutes to get as
many people out of the cities as
they can.
GENERAL GREY
But Mr. President...
PRESIDENT
And get those helicopters away
from the ship. Call them back
immediately.
General Grey obeys, turning to an assistant who quickly grabs
a phone. Nimziki steps up to the President.
NIMZIKI
What the hell's going on?
PRESIDENT
We're leaving.
An AIDE motions to the monitors.
AIDE
They're responding.
The room goes silent, everyone turns to the monitors.
MONITOR - NEWS PROGRAM & NIGHT VISION VIDEO
On all screens we SEE the space ship as a long thin line of
WHITE LIGHT suddenly emits from the side of the craft,
illuminating the four Apache Helicopters.
EXT. APACHE HELICOPTERS - SAME
The light boards are overpowered by the bright light coming
from the space craft. Suddenly with a loud SCREECHING NOISE,
the white light spills out as the huge OPENING unfolds at the
side of the craft.
The four helicopters have to flight to hold their positions, as
something powerful emits from the schism in the ship.
Then like a gigantic bug-zapper, the four pesky little Apache
Helicopters are BLOWN OUT OF THE SKY, one by one. They leave
no time to retreat.
INT. HOTEL SUITE - NIGHT
Mrs. Whitmore packs her bag, as the horrifying image of the
destruction of the helicopter replays on the T.V.
SECRET SERVICEMAN
Mrs. Whitmore? The President has
ordered the evacuation. We have
to leave, now.
She slams her valise SHUT and quickly exits.
POLICE HELICOPTER
SOARS over us, headed directly for downtown Los Angeles.
EXT. ROOFTOP - SAME
The UFO true believers are still there, holding up their
signs. Making her way through several of them we see Tiffany.
She looks up to the spacecraft above.
TIFFANY
(awed)
It's beautiful.
She digs her drawing of an alien out of her purse as she
excitedly rushes up to the others. She holds it up to the
sky, proudly.
POLICE HELICOPTER
From out of nowhere the helicopter LIFTS up over the side of
the building, shining its spotlight down the believers
below.
POLICE (P.A.)
...we are evacuating the city.
Please leave the building at once.
The sign holders begin to "boo" the police, ignoring them.
EXT. CITY STREET - PASADENA THROUGHWAY - SAME
The freeway is packed on both sides, every car headed out of
town. There is no opposing traffic.
INT. JASMINE'S CAR - SAME
Dylan holds Boomers as Jasmine drives. The news plays over her
car radio.
RADIO VOICE
...authorities have called for a
complete evacuation of Los Angeles
County. People are advised to
avoid the highways whenever
possible.
JASMINE
Now he tells me.
EXT. WHITE HOUSE - SAME
The President stops on his way to the Presidential helicopter
as an aide brings his daughter outside. The President ushers
her into the helicopter. He turns back and see a military
guard holding back Moishe and David.
PRESIDENT
They're okay. Let them on!
INT. HELICOPTER - CONTINUOUS
The President steps inside, turns to General Grey.
PRESIDENT
Is my wife in the air?
GENERAL GREY
She should be shortly.
David flips open his laptop which reads: 09:07. 09:96...
EXT. WHITE HOUSE LAWN - HELICOPTER - CONTINUOUS
The Presidential helicopter lifts off as several other
helicopters wait behind, people filing into them.
EXT. ROOFTOPS - LOS ANGELES - SAME
The Police helicopter is still flashing their lights at the
UFO believers who refuse to budge. Suddenly the entire
rooftop is BATHED IN WHITE LIGHT. They all grow silent
staring up at the craft.
Above them another SCHISM has opened at the bottom of the
craft, the white light spilling out.
As though the heavens had opened, the UFO believers lift their
arms, waiting to be taken.
BELIEVERS
Take me! No, take me! Take me!
Slowly, this beam of light from the base of the ship
INTENSIFIES directly on the top of this building.
EXT. HELIPORT - SAME
Standing on this rooftop heliport directly across from the UFO
believers, the First Lady watches them, concerned.
SECRET SERVICEMAN
(yelling over helicopter)
Mrs. Whitmore!
Reluctantly, the First Lady turns and runs for the helicopter.
The door is shut and the helicopter takes off.
EXT. THE CAPITOL BUILDING - SAME
With a ROAR, the Presidential helicopter ZOOMS past, behind it
we see an enormous SCHISM opening beneath the space craft.
EXT. WHITE HOUSE - SAME
Alex is helping people get onto the remaining helicopters.
Suddenly he is bathed in WHITE LIGHT. He looks up and sees
the SCHISM, its WHITE BEAM coming directly down upon the White
House.
EXT. EMPIRE STATE BUILDING - SAME
The pinnacle of this landmark is abruptly illuminated in WHITE
LIGHT. We PAN UP to the space craft above, the beam
intensifying from the SCHISM below the ship.
EXT. ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE - SAME
The Presidential helicopter lands. The President and his
group are ushered over to AIR FORCE ONE which stands only
hundred yard away.
INT. AIR FORCE ONE - SAME
The door OPENS and the President and his advisors rush in.
David flops down into a seat, quickly flips open his laptop
which reads: 00:05, 00:04...
EXT. ROOFTOP - LOS ANGELES - SAME
As the light amplifies, the believers chant, louder and
louder. Suddenly the white light DISAPPEARS. The believers
are stunned. In a brief moment it is replaced with a BLAST.
A DESTRUCTION BEAM BLASTS down onto the rooftop, splintering
everything there, Police helicopter included, into a billion
tiny particles.
Tiffany is he epicenter, from here the WALL OF DESTRUCTION GROWS
outwardly, destroying everything in its path.
EXT. EMPIRE STATE BUILDING - SAME
Just as the BLAST HITS, the historic building is DECIMATED.
EXT. WHITE HOUSE LAWN - SAME
Alex shuts the door on a helicopter. As he steps back the
white light VANISHES. He looks up as the BLAST replaces the
beam.
ANGLE - WHITE HOUSE
Just as one of the helicopters pass us, the White House
SPLINTERS BEFORE OUR EYES.
EXT. ANDREWS - RUNWAY - AIR FORCE ONE - SAME
Air Force One quickly taxis down the runway toward us.
Behind them in the distance we can SEE the DESTRUCTIVE beam
GROWING OUTWARDLY from the epicenter.
THE CAPITOL BUILDING
The WALL OF DESTRUCTION reaches the Capitol Building,
fragmenting into a trillion particles.
THE PENTAGON
Washed under the WALL OF DESTRUCTION, the Pentagon, too, is
blown to smithereens.
INT. AIR FORCE ONE - SAME
Thick with tension. Everyone is white-knuckled, anxious for
take off as they taxi quicky down the runway.
EXT. ANDREWS - RUNWAY - AIR FORCE ONE
Air Force one, full throttle. It LIFTS OFF just in time to
miss the WALL OF DESTRUCTION as it rips apart the airport
behind them, dangerously close.
WIDE ANGLES - WASHINGTON, D.C.
We SEE the WAVE OF DESTRUCTION growing outwardly from the
epicenter, ENGULFING ALL OF WASHINGTON.
Air Force One is just barely making it out in time.
EXT. PASADENA FREEWAY - SAME
Jasmine's car is caught in traffic just outside the tunneled
underpass at the Griffith Park Mountains.
RADIO NEWSMAN
(filtered)
...My God. It's destroying
everything in its path.
Widening...
Suddenly the radio CUTS OUT. Jasmine turns around and SEES...
JASMINE'S POV - FREEWAY & DOWNTOWN
Far off the devastation of downtown can be seen. The WALL OF
DESTRUCTION growing towards us.
Reacting, Jasmine grabs Dylan and dashes out of the car.
Boomer follows. Every drivers who can, jumps out of their
cars, running in all directions.
Jasmine heads for the tunnel.
ANGLE - FREEWAY
The grid-locked cars have nowhere to run as the WALL OF
DESTRUCTION grows out from downtown. All the cars are WIPED
OUT in a row, sitting ducks.
ANGLE - OVERPASS - BRIDGES
Packed with cars. They're quickly demolished as the WALL OF
DESTRUCTION blasts by.
INT. TUNNEL - SAME
Jasmine turns back from the tunnel entrance.
JASMINE'S POV - WALL OF DESTRUCTION
Ever nearing, only moments away.
Jasmine spots an open MAINTENANCE ALCOVE deep within the
tunnel. She runs to it, puts Dylan inside and climbs in after
him.
Leaning back out, Jasmine looks for Boomer who stares at her,
wagging his tail.
JASMINE
Boomer, come. Come boy!
Boomer LEAPS inside and Jasmine ducks to the side of the WALL
OF DESTRUCTION hits the tunnel entrance, cars are JAMMED
TOGETHER, SMASHING into one another.
Suddenly the car ARE BLOWN CLEAR THROUGH THE TUNNEL like so
many toy Hot Wheel cars.
Inside the Maintenance alcove, Jasmine shields Dylan and
Boomer with her body.
EXT. MANHATTAN - WIDE ANGLE - SAME
From a distance we WATCH as all of Manhattan is consumed from
its center outwardly by the growing WALL OF DESTRUCTION.
Within seconds all of Manhattan is gone.
The WALL OF DESTRUCTION reaches its outer most edges and fades
away.
The SCHISM under the craft slowly CLOSES. The ship now hovers
over a completely wiped out Manhattan.
SLOW DISSOLVE:
INT. BRENNON TRAILER - PRE-DAWN
A hand adjusts the trailer radio.
RADIO
(filtered)
...reports are unclear as to the
extent of the devastation, but
from all accounts, Los Angeles,
Washington and New York have been
left in ruins...
Russell shoots a worried look over to Miguel. Suddenly Troy
moves up to the front on wobbly legs.
TROY
Guys, I don't feel so good.
RUSSELL
When was the last time you had
your medicine?
TROY
Four days... five?
Troy looks really sick. Miguel is shocked.
MIGUEL
But I gave you some this morning.
TROY
I didn't take it. I thought I
didn't need it anymore.
EXT. DESERT HIGHWAY - SAME
The trailer, with Russell's Bi-wing in tow, pulls over. Troy
rushes out, vomiting on the side of the road. Miguel comes to
his aide. Russell steps out and walks to the curve in the
highway.
RUSSELL
Miguel? Come take a look at this.
Reluctantly Miguel leaves his brother's side.
POV - RUSSELL AND MIGUEL
Below an entire valley filled with campers, trailers and
busses. An instant refugee city, if you will, for as far as
the eye can see. Spectacular.
CUT TO:
INT. EL TORO - BRIEFING ROOM - MORNING
Thirty-five pilots are being briefed by their Commanding
Office, CAPTAIN WATSON who points to a fuzzy photograph of
the craft over Los Angeles.
WATSON
You will be the first wave in our
counter attack. Though
surveillance satellite
reconnaissance has been impaired,
we have a fix on our primary
target.
Steve and Jimmy sit next to each other near the back of the
room
STEVE
(whispered)
You won't exactly need radar to
find it.
Jimmy chuckles. Watson is annoyed.
WATSON
You want to add something to this
briefing, Lt. Hill?
Steve smiles confidently.
STEVE
Sorry, Sir. Just real anxious to
kick some alien ass.
Everyone chuckles, including Captain Watson.
EXT. EL TORO MARINE CORPS AIR STATION - MOMENTS LATER
Huge hangar doors open revealing an F/A-18 HORNET, one of the
U.S.A.F.'s elite.
TARMAC - OVERHEAD SHOT
Thirty F/A-18s await take off on the tarmac as Technicians and
Flight Crews race for position.
ENGINE BLAST
The heat waves momentarily obscure our view as the F/A-18s
take to the air.
INT. AIR FORCE ONE - SAME
The President is deeply contemplative. Constance sits down
next to him. She knows what he's thinking.
CONSTANCE
You saved a lot of lives.
PRESIDENT
I could have evacuated the cities
hours ago.
(beat)
You know, when I flew in the Gulf
War everything is simple. We
knew what we had to do. It's not
simple anymore, Connie. A lot of
people died today. How many
didn't have to?
Constance realizes there's no comforting him. She supports
him silently by being there. General Grey comes over.
PRESIDENT
Any news on my wife?
GENERAL GREY
The helicopter never arrived at
Nellis and there's been no radio
contact.
The news rocks the President. They both know what that means.
GENERAL GREY (cont'd)
The fighters are in the air.
Whitmore nods and follows the General to the back of the
plane.
COMMAND CENTER - AIR FORCE ONE
Military Command has been set up on Air Force One, a kind of
flying NORAD. Military and technical crew are seated at the
controls. Nimziki is already there.
GENERAL GREY
All satellites, microwave and
ground communications with the
cities are gone. We believe we're
looking at a total loss.
Maintaining his composure, the President looks up at the many
tracking screens.
PRESIDENT
Where are they?
GENERAL GREY
(pointing)
ETA with target; four minutes.
EXT. BLUE SKIES - TACTICAL FIGHTERS - SAME
Five F/A-18 fighters move into frame. As we WIDEN we REVEAL a
total of 30 F/A-18s in attack formation, destination Los
Angeles.
INT. STEVE'S FIGHTER - SAME
Steve pulls a long cigar out of his breast pocket.
STEVE
(into radio)
Jimmy crack corn, do you have
victory dance?
INT. JIMMY'S FIGHTER - SAME
Jimmy pulls his cigar out. Examines it.
JIMMY
(into radio)
That is an affirmative. I have
victory dance. Mmmmmmm.
STEVE
(filtered)
Don't get premature on me, Jimmy.
We don't light up 'til the Fat
Lady sings.
JIMMY
I hear you.
INT. AIR FORCE ONE - PASSENGER SECTION - SAME
Air sick, David holds a "barf bag" as Moishe talks.
MOISHE
It's Air Force One for crying out
loud. Still he gets sick?
DAVID
Moishe, please, don't talk.
Moishe pats his belly.
MOISHE
Look at me, like a rock. Good
weather, bad, doesn't matter.
(motions with his hands)
We can go up and down, back and
forth, side to side...
David can't take any more of this story and takes off running
for the bathroom.
MOISHE
What I say?
Constance comes over, sits next to Moishe.
CONSTANCE
He still gets air sick, huh? In
all of this I didn't get the
chance to thank you two.
MOISHE
Think nothing of it, Spanky.
Constance smiles, corrects him.
CONSTANCE
Spunky. He told you about that?
MOISHE
(nods)
All he could think about was
getting to you. There's still
love there I think.
CONSTANCE
(sadly)
Love was never our problem.
MOISHE
All you need is love. John
Lennon. Smart man. Shot in the
back, very sad.
EXT. SKIES - SAME
In the distance we can see the devastated Los Angeles, the
space craft still hovering above it. The Fighters zoom into
frame.
INT. STEVE'S FIGHTER - SAME
Steve looks down, becomes worried.
STEVE
I shouldn't have left her.
JIMMY
(filtered)
Don't worry, big guy. I'm sure
she got out of here before it
happened.
Steve nods absently.
STEVE
Let's lock and load.
INT. AIR FORCE ONE - SAME
The center F/A-18 on the radar map begins to FLASH yellow,
just under its image. We SEE a video display of its FLIR
(forward-looking infrared) targeting system, locked on.
TECHNICIAN
Los Angeles attack squadron has
AMRAAM missiles locked on target.
TECHNICIAN #2
Washington and New York squadrons,
reporting lock on.
GENERAL GREY
Fire at will.
EXT. STEVE'S FIGHTER - SAME
An Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) DROPS
down from the underbelly of the fighter, DARTING OFF.
Radar targeted, the missile BANKS hard, adjusting. We SEE it
is joined by FOURTEEN other missiles, all rocketing towards
their target.
EXT. ALIEN SHIP - SECONDS LATER
The missiles are headed straight for the alien ship.
Suddenly about a quarter mile before they reach it, they
EXPLODE, as though blown out of the sky.
When the smoke clears we see there has been zero damage.
INT. STEVE'S FIGHTER - SAME
STEVE
Damn it!
JIMMY
(filtered)
I didn't even see them fire!
STEVE
Command, Eagle One. Switching to
"sidewinders." We're moving in.
EXT. SKIES - SAME
In unison these amazing birds DIVE together, realigning
themselves into six groups of five, spreading out to attack
different areas of the ship.
STEVE'S GROUP
The first attack group, Steve's, are the first to near the
colossal alien craft. Simultaneously they drop their AIM-9
sidewinder missiles.
PACK OF AIM-9 SIDEWINDER MISSILES
They reach the same quarter-mile proximity and EXPLODE.
INT. STEVE'S FIGHTER - SAME
STEVE
They must have some kind of
protective shield surrounding
their hull. Pull up.
Most of the fighters do, but one is too late and SMASHES into
the ship's protective shield.
EXT. SKIES - SAME
Steve's squadron BANKS hard, skirting the edge of the ship's
protective shield.
As the fighters approach, the alien ship's enormous ATTACK BAY
doors OPEN. Suddenly DOZENS OF ALIEN ATTACKERS dart out
towards our fighters.
STEVE
(filtered)
Evasive maneuvers! Check Six!
Just moving away in time, our Fighters barely dodge the
oncoming enemy Attackers as they FIRE a HAILSTORM of FIREPOWER
(tracker bullet-like lasers) showering the sky.
As Steve's plane DIVES, an Attacker follows. Jimmy's plane
pulls up behind the attacker.
HEADS UP DISPLAY - HUD
Jimmy's HUD has the alien attacker in his sights.
JIMMY
(filtered)
Got you covered, Stevie.
Jimmy FIRES, another AIM-9 Sidewinder TAKES OFF.
ALIEN ATTACKER
The Sidewinder overtakes the attacker as Steve ROLLS AWAY out
of position. Five yards before the sidewinder can get to the
Attacker, it EXPLODES.
JIMMY
Shit! They've got shield too.
STEVE'S FIGHTER
Banks back around to get a shot. Just as he turns, three
American Fighters are BLOWN TO RIBBONS from Attacker tracer
fire.
The Attackers are in hot pursuit of Jimmy's fighter. The
Fighter flying next to Jimmy is DEMOLISHED.
STEVE
Jimmy, roll right. I'll cover.
Jimmy's fighter narrowly rolls away from the tracer fire as
Steve fires another Sidewinder, momentarily distracting the
Attacker.
Jimmy falls in line with Steve as the attackers turn on them.
Both fighters jerk downwards at a ninety degree angle at MACH
ONE. Narrowly missing the ground, they bank away. The
Attackers can't follow.
INT. AIR FORCE ONE - SAME
Fighter after fighter begin to disappear from the display
screens.
CONSTANCE
We're losing them.
PRESIDENT
Then get them out of there.
Suddenly one of the large radar display maps FIZZLES OUT.
TECHNICIAN
We've lost the satellite.
Before he can adjust, another monitor FIZZLES AWAY.
EXT. LOS ANGELES - SAME
One by one we SEE the fighters getting TAKEN OUT. Fireballs
litter the laser-tracer fire covered skies.
STEVE
Maybe we can out run them. Follow
my lead.
Jimmy and Steve bank away from the craft, hit the supercruise,
BOLTING AWAY at Mach 2.
Both Jimmy and Steve are held tight against their seats,
straining against the G-Force.
Two Attackers spot them and follow in hot pursuit.
Steve and Jimmy are flying at breakneck speeds, the attackers
slowly gaining on them.
STEVE
Jimmy, kick it! They're gaining.
JIMMY
We're already over Mach 2!
STEVE
So push it!
Readouts show the planes flying beyond measurement.
INT. JIMMY'S FIGHTER - SAME
As the planes accelerate, Jimmy fights to remain conscious.
JIMMY
Stevie... I can't...
STEVE
Jimmy, stay with me.
Jimmy slowly loses consciousness. His fighter slows, drifting
off to the right.
STEVE
JIMMY!
ALIEN ATTACKERS
gain on them. One catches up with Jimmy's fighter and FIRES.
JIMMY'S FIGHTER
Laser-tracers SHOWER the Fighter. It EXPLODES. Job done, his
Attacker banks away, returning to Los Angeles.
STEVE
No!!!!
Steve's Attacker stays right with him, slowly gaining. Steve
kicks his harder, keeping the distance.
CUT TO:
INT. EL TORO - AIR TOWER - SAME
A radar OPERATOR spots something on his screens. He turns to
Captain Watson.
OPERATOR
We have incoming.
WATSON
Friendly?
OPERATOR
I don't think so.
Watson hits an alarm which ROARS.
EXT. EL TORO - TARMAC - SECOND LATER
A dozen PILOTS race out onto the field, running for their
planes. Before anyone can reach them, the sky darkens with
ALIEN ATTACKERS who STRAFE the runway.
INT. TOWER - SAME
Through the front glass of the tower we SEE the Attackers
firing. One fires directly at the tower. Watson DIVES for
cover as everything around him erupts into a gigantic
FIREBALL.
WIDE ANGLE - EL TORO
The entire base goes up in flames.
CUT TO:
EXT. SKIES - FIGHTER & ATTACKER - SAME
Steve looks down over the side of his fighter.
STEVE'S POV - THE GRAND CANYON - SAME
Steve HITS THE BRAKES. Surprised, the Attacker SAILS PAST.
Taking the moment, Steve DIVES down INTO THE GRAND CANYON.
STEVE
(to himself)
Okay, jerk-off. Let's have some
fun.
The Attacker recovers, dives after Steve who flies dangerously
close to the canyon walls. The Attacker has trouble keeping
up with him but does.
Steve puts on a clinic in advanced aerobatics, banking,
diving, swerving.
The Attacker seems to be improving, following closer and
closer.
Steve ducks into smaller canyons, twisting sideways. Still
the Attacker follows close.
FUEL GAUGE - RUNNING LOW
Near empty. Frustrated, Steve gets pissed.
STEVE
Damn it!
Steve turns down a dead and side canyon. The Attacker is
right on his tail.
STEVE
Let's see if you're fully
equipped.
The Fighter is on a collision course with the end of the
canyon wall. Suddenly Steve yanks his ACES II - EJECTION
SEAT.
Stave SAILS UPWARDS into the air.
The Fighter CRASHES into the canyon wall.
The Attacker can't turn in time. He tries to pull up, over
it, just misses the top of the canyon wall.
As the nose of the Attacker hits the tip of the canyon wall
the Attacker is FLIPPED OVER, ROLLING END OVER END over the
top of the canyon.
The parachute on Steve's ejection seat pops OPEN.
EXT. TOP OF CANYON - CONTINUOUS
Rolling end over end, the Attacker is banged up BADLY as it
finally comes to a stop.
Not far away, Steve has a quick, hard, landing. Rolling over,
Steve quickly pops the buckles on the chute and frees himself.
He stands and looks around. Spotting the beat up and
incapacitated alien Attacker, Steve gets an angry resolved
look. He marches over to the fallen alien Attacker. He scans
it quickly, spots a type of door that has been knocked ajar.
With all his might, Steve YANKS the door OPEN.
AN ALIEN
For the first time we get a quick glance at these aliens, an
odd hybrid creature with fluctuating skeletal structure.
The reason we only get a quick glance is because the moment it
turns woozily towards us, Steve rears back and SLUGS HIM IN
THE FACE, knocking the alien totally unconscious.
His anger finally subsiding, exhaustion taking over, Steve
stands over the craft, slowly withdrawing the prized Victory
Dance cigar. He lights it and takes a long angry puff.
STEVE
Now that's a close encounter.
CUT TO:
INT. TUNNEL - PASADENA FREEWAY - ALCOVE - SAME
It's dark. The hole Jasmine had entered is now blocked. She
pushes but it won't budge. Exhausted, she ignites her lighter
to get a better look around.
As it lights we SEE that we are inside a maintenance garage.
Jasmine rushes over to a phone but the line is dead. Taking
Dylan by the hand she moves to the large garage doors but she
can't open them.
She turns around and see a large maintenance truck, a huge
land-mover shovel attached to the front. She smiles.
EXT. GARAGE DOORS - SECONDS LATER
With a ROAR the large door BLAST APART as the maintenance
truck SMASHES through. Once out, Jasmine hits the brakes.
REVERSE ANGLE - JASMINE'S POV - DEVASTATED L.A.
Total devastation. Remnants of cars and buildings smoldering.
Three scattered survivors crawl from the wreckage. A
nightmare of destruction. The space craft above, slowly
leaving.
DYLAN
Mommy, what happened?
JASMINE
(astonished)
I don't know, badly.
CUT TO:
EXT. DESERT - REFUGEE TRAILER CAMP - DAY
We see dozens of trailers packing up their gear, some already
on the road. Miguel talks with one of the drivers, then
hurries away, running.
INT. BRENNON TRAILER - SAME
Russell wipes down Troy's forehead, he's burning up. Alicia
brings over a cold compress.
RUSSELL
You know, you're just like your
mother. She was stubborn too. I
had to twist her arm to get her to
take her medicine.
TROY
I'm sorry, Dad.
(beat; scared)
I'm not goin to die like mom, am
I?
ALICIA
You're going to be fine.
Miguel comes rushing in, pulls Russell aside.
MIGUEL
I couldn't find anything.
Everyone is packing up, they're
leaving. Word is a space ship is
heading this way.
RUSSELL
We should leave too.
MIGUEL
There's a group heading south,
they said there's a hospital just
a couple hours away. I think we
should follow them.
Russell nods in agreement. A knock on the door. Alicia turns
to find a handsome young boy, PHILIP in the doorway holding a
bottle of pills.
PHILIP
Penicillin. At least it will help
keep his fever down.
ALICIA
It's really nice of you to help
us.
PHILIP
I wish I could do more but we're
moving out.
ALICIA
(too eager)
We're going with you. I mean,
we're going too.
PHILIP
Cool.
Alicia nods, smitten. Philip smiles charmingly and leaves.
CUT TO:
INT. AIR FORCE ONE - SAME
Back in the passenger section, the President sits with General
Grey and Chief of Staff Nimziki. The Technician from the
command module is briefing them.
TECHNICIAN
They must be targeting our
satellites. We've lost all
satellite communication, tracking
and mapping.
GENERAL GREY
Have NORAD relay intelligence to
our on board computers?
The Technician nods and exits. Defeated, the President slumps
sullenly.
GENERAL GREY
We've moved as many of our forces
away from the bases as possible
but we've already sustained heavy
losses.
The President nods his approval absently. Coming out of the
bathroom, David overhears.
NIMZIKI
I spoke with the Joint Chief when
they arrived at NORAD. They
agree, we must launch a counter
offensive with a full nuclear
strike. Hit 'em with everything
we've got.
PRESIDENT
Above American soil?
NIMZIKI
If we don't strike soon, there may
not be much of an America left to
defend.
The Technician returns, his face is white with fear.
GENERAL GREY
What's the latest from NORAD?
OFFICER
It's gone, sir. They've taken out
NORAD.
NIMZIKI
That's impossible...
GENERAL GREY
My God, the Vice President and the
Joint Chiefs...
NIMZIKI
Mr. President, we must launch. A
delay now would be more costly
than when you waited to evacuate
the cities!
That stings the President. He considers the option. David is
shocked.
DAVID
You can't be seriously considering
firing nuclear weapons?
CONSTANCE
David, don't...
David pushes past her.
DAVID
If you fire nukes, so will the
rest of the world. Do you know
what that kind of fall out will
do? How many innocent people...
The General gets up running interference. Constance tries to
pull David back.
GENERAL GREY
(stern)
Sir, i remind you that you are
just a guest here...
CONSTANCE
(overlapping)
David, please...
DAVID
This is insanity! You'll kill us
and them at the same time.
There'll be nothing left!
NIMZIKI
(interrupting)
Sit down and shut up!
Suddenly Moishe is on his feet, interrupting.
MOISHE
Don't tell him to shut up! You'd
all be dead, were it not for my
David. You didn't do anything to
prevent this!
As everyone is about to besiege Moishe, the President tries to
calm him down.
PRESIDENT
Sir, there wasn't much more we
could have done. We were totally
unprepared for this.
MOISHE
Don't give me unprepared! Since
nineteen fifty whatever you guys
have had that space ship, the
thing you found in New Mexico.
DAVID
(embarrassed)
Dad, please...
MOISHE
What was it, Roswell? You had the
space ship, the bodies, everything
locked up in a bunker, the what is
it, Area fifty one. That's it!
Area fifty one. You knew and you
didn't do nothing!
For the first time in along time, President Whitmore smiles.
PRESIDENT
Regardless of what the tabloids
have said, there were never any
space crafts recovered by the
government. Take my word for it,
there is no Area 51 and no
recovered space ship.
Chief of Staff Nimziki suddenly clears his throat.
NIMZIKI
Uh, excuse me, Mr. President, but
that's not entirely accurate.
The President and General Grey turn to Nimziki, shocked.
SMASHED AND BURNED OUT CARS
laying across the roadway. Suddenly SMASH, Jasmine's
maintenance truck BLASTS through.
EXT. HIGHWAY - CITY LIMITS - SAME
With the massive devastation in the b.g., Jasmine drives the
maintenance truck down the highway. In the back, the few
survivors she's found.
In the back, four INJURED PASSENGERS lay across the flatbed as
a thin, older man, TEDDY tends to them.
INT. MAINTENANCE TRUCK - SAME
Jasmine spots a TALL MAN, his closes in tatters RUNNING down
the highway, his arms in the air.
TALL MAN
The end has come! He speaketh
his word and the end hast come!
Jasmine pulls up along side him.
JASMINE
Hop on. We're heading out to El
Toro.
TALL MAN
You cannot defy what has come, it
is the end!
The tall man moves off, screaming to the heavens. As Jasmine
watches him drift away she SEES...
OVERTURNED MILITARY HELICOPTER
Still smoldering from the crash. A woman can be seen inside,
still alive. Jasmine jumps out.
JASMINE
Give me a hand.
Teddy joins Jasmine as they pry open the door. Inside, the
pilots have been killed, but Mrs. Whitmore, THE FIRST LADY,
lays there in great pain, blood across her blouse.
JASMINE
Let's get her out of here.
They erase her from the wreckage, laying her on the
ground. Dylan comes over, standing next to his mother.
TEDDY
She's bleeding pretty bad.
Suddenly we HEAR the CLICKING of a rifle COCKING.
MALE VOICE (O.S.)
Who's got the key?
Jasmine turns and see a REDNECK leveling his rifle at her.
Behind him a small damaged sports car pulls up, packed to the
gills with stolen, looted appliances.
REDNECK
(yelling to pals)
Looks like I've solved our
transportation problem.
JASMINE
Hey, you're welcome to come with
us. We're leaving here anyway...
REDNECK
We're not. Give me the key.
(yelling back)
Get 'em off.
Two GUYS rush from their vehicle over to the maintenance
truck, pulling the injured off the tailback.
TALL MAN (O.S.)
Repent! Sinners! Repent! The
end hast come!
Running up from behind, the Tall Man comes over screaming.
The Redneck turns his gun on him.
REDNECK
Back off. This ain't your
business.
As the Redneck is distracted, Jasmine spots the bag of
fireworks protruding out of Dylan's back pocket.
TALL MAN
You cannot go against the word,
brother.
REDNECK
Sure I can.
The Redneck SHOOTS the Tall Man. His buddies laugh.
REDNECK (cont'd)
Now give me that key, bitch.
As he turns back to Jasmine, Boomer starts BARKING wildly.
Just as he turns to shoot the dog, Jasmine lights a key ROCKET
from the fireworks bag. The rocket BLASTS into the Redneck,
his shirt IGNITING ON FIRE.
The Redneck drops the rifle, attempting to put out the flames,
his cronies rush to his aid. Jasmine picks up the gun, moves
in on them.
JASMINE
This "bitch" was born in Alabama
with a Daddy who loved to hunt.
(cocking the weapon)
So don't think for one second that
I don't know how to use this.
She FIRES the rifle. Quickly the rednecks scamper away.
CUT TO:
EXT. DRY LAKE - DESERT - LATER
Dragging a heavy bundle wrapped in his parachute, Steve
marches across the desert floor. The alien ARM/TENTACLE
dangles out of the parachute.
Exhausted, Steve stops to wipe his brow. He hears something,
turns around.
STEVE'S POV - THE TRAILER ARMADA
Several hundred of the trailers from the refugee camp are
headed en mass towards him. Smiling, Steve signals them.
The trailers pull up on either side, surrounding him. Miguel
leans out of his trailer.
MIGUEL
(sarcastic)
Need a lift?
STEVE
When I flew overhead, I saw some
kind of base, not far.
Confused, Miguel checks his map.
MIGUEL
It's not on the map.
STEVE
Trust me, it's there.
EXT. AIR FORCE ONE - LATER
Flying over the desert, Air Force One sails over an immense
valley, Area 51 below - hangars, a few buildings, a small air
strip, not much.
Super: N.I.A. Base - "Area 51", Nevada
EXT. RUNWAY - LATER
Air Force One lands. Wheels touch down, skid.
INT. HANGAR - LATER
The large hangar doors open and Air Force One is rolled
inside. The President and his entourage are met by a
contingent of base personnel led by field operative, LT.
MITCHELL. He escorts them to a side hallway.
INT. HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS
Lt. Mitchell walks over to an odd wall switch as the President
and his entourage wait in the center of the hall. With a loud
hydraulic HUM, the entire hallway begins to SINK DOWN, an
enormous ELEVATOR.
PRESIDENT
Why the hell wasn't I told about
this place?
NIMZIKI
Two words, Mr. President.
Plausible deniability.
General Grey shoots Nimziki a pissed off look. When the
elevator stops, a door SLIDES open.
INT. RESEARCH FACILITIES - CONTINUOUS
Stepping out of the elevator, they walk into a large state of
the art, sterile clean research facility. It is amazingly
well staffed and organized.
PRESIDENT
I don't understand. Where did all
this come from? How did this get
funded?
MOISHE
You didn't think they actually
spent ten thousand dollars for a
hammer and thirty thousand for a
toilet seat, did you?
The President shoots him a look. They are greeted by a group
of SCIENTISTS in whit coats led by, DR. OKUN.
MITCHELL
Mr. President, I'd like to
introduce you to Dr. Okun. He's
been heading up our research here
for the last fifteen years.
Dr. Okun is an odd, hyper-energetic man who's spent too much
time in isolation.
OKUN
Mr. President, a real pleasure.
They don't let us out much, you
you.
PRESIDENT
(uncomfortable)
Yes.
OKUN
Well, I guess you'd like to see
the big tamale? Follow me.
They walk up a ramp at the end of the room. Large heavily
enforced doors SLIDE open.
INT. STORAGE LAB - CONTINUOUS
The group steps inside and nearly gasps at...
THE ALIEN ATTACKER
Just like the one that chased Steve. The entourage stares in
horror and wonder. We can SEE the patch-work repairs they've
made on the ship over the years.
OKUN
She's a beaut, ain't she?
Moishe leans close to David and Constance.
MOISHE
(smug)
Never any space ships recovered by
the government, huh?
PRESIDENT
We've had this for forty years and
you don't know anything about
them?
OKUN
Hell no, we know tons about them.
The nearest stuff has only
happened in the last few days.
The President slowly walks around the ship as Okun talks.
David, mouth agape, just stares at it.
OKUN (cont'd)
See, we can't duplicate their type
of power so we've never been able
to experiment. But since these
guys started showing up, all the
gizmos inside turned on. The last
twenty four hours have been really
exciting!
PRESIDENT
(exploding)
People are dying out there. I
don't think "exciting" is the word
I'd choose to describe it!
The room goes silent, letting the President blow off steam.
PRESIDENT
(calming)
What can you tell us about the
enemy we're facing?
OKUN
Not all too dissimilar to us.
Breathes oxygen, comparable
tolerances to heat,
cold...probably why they're
interested in our planet.
(suddenly excited)
Hey, you wanna see them?
INT. MEDICAL RESEARCH VAULT - MOMENTS LATER
The lights slowly TURN ON, illuminated the vault. Okun leads
the group to a sealed partition.
OKUN
This is vault, or as some of us
have come to call it, the "freak
show."
Okun hits a switch and the sealed partition lifts revealing...
FORMALDEHYDE TANKS - ALIENS
Three dead aliens float in the milky formaldehyde tanks. The
murky fluid and condensation obstructs our view. What we do
see is not pretty.
OKUN
When we found them they were
wearing bio-mechanical suits.
Once we got them off, we were able
to learn a great deal about their
anatomy; eyes, ears, bipolar
digestive system... no vocal cords
though. We're assuming they
communicate with each other
through other means.
David cannot contain his fascination. He steps forward.
DAVID
What kind of other means? Hand
signals, body language?
OKUN
Some kind of extra sensory
perception. Telepathy.
PRESIDENT
Can they be killed?
OKUN
These three died in the crash.
Their bodies are as frail as our
own. You just have to get past
their technology, which is, I'm
sorry to say, far more advanced.
The President turns to David.
PRESIDENT
You unlocked a part of that
technology. You cracked their
code.
DAVID
All I did was stumble onto their
signal. I don't know how helpful
I can be...
PRESIDENT
Show them what you've discovered.
Work together. We've got to find
a way to beat them.
EXT. SECURITY GATE - SAME
Four armed GUARDS watch the gate. An armada of trucks and
trailers heads right for them. They move into position to
block their entrance as a blue pick-up skids to a halt before
them. Steve stands up from the back of the pick up.
GUARD
Sorry, Lt. Colonel, I can't open
the gates without clearance.
STEVE
You want to see my clearance?
Impatiently Steve grabs the Guard by the collar, pulling him
over the side of the truck putting him face to face with the
bundled parachute in the flatbed. Steve rips the fabric aside
revealing...
THE ALIEN CREATURE
Still unconscious, the alien stirs. The Guard JUMPS BACK,
shitting in his pants. Quickly he signals for the other to
open the gate.
The armada quickly drives past.
BLACKNESS
Total darkness. Suddenly light pours in as a door is open.
We see the faces of Okun, David and three technicians all
peering at us with inquisitive expressions.
OKUN
See the gizmos flashing?
REVERSE - INSIDE ALIEN CRAFT
Sure enough, tons of gizmos with lights flashing. High tech
meets organic organisms. This alien ship looks familiar to
our own technology and completely different at the same time.
OKUN (cont'd)
We've been working around the
clock trying to get a fix on all
this crap. Some stuff we figured
out right away.
David climbs in, fascinated. He touches everything. Okun
points to everything as he describes it.
OKUN (cont'd)
This thing we're pretty sure is
the life support for the cabin,
this do-hickey over here is
connected with the engines, this
crap...we have no idea what that
stuff is for.
David is transfixed by it. He stares at the small screens
with flashing light patterns on them.
OKUN (cont'd)
But this over here is clearly what
they use to navigate and guide the
craft.
But David still stares at the small screens.
DAVID
Someone grab my laptop for me?
One of the technicians rushes off as Okun leans close.
OKUN
Find something interesting?
DAVID
Maybe.
The technician hands David his retrieved laptop which he
quickly flips open and turns on.
DAVID
These patterns here, they're
repeating sequentially, just
like...
David turns his laptop around for Okun to see. The pattern on
David's laptop flashes identically as the alien screen.
DAVID (cont'd)
...their countdown signal. Their
using this frequency for computer
communications. It's how they co-
ordinate their ships.
OKUN
You know, you're really starting
to make us look bad.
The two men exchange a smile. Another TECHY pops his head
inside.
TECHY
(out of breath)
They got one! They got one,
alive!
INT. HALLWAY OFF MAIN HANGAR - AREA 51 - SAME
The bundled alien lays on a stretcher that's wheeled quickly
into the hall. Okun and his staff surround it. Trailing
behind them is Steve, Russell and Miguel.
OKUN
How long has it been unconscious?
RUSSELL
Excuse me Doctor...
STEVE
Three hours.
OKUN
Get him into containment, stat.
RUSSELL
My boy is very sick, he needs
immediate attention.
Okun ignores Russell, hitting the elevator switch on the wall,
the room begins its hydraulic HUM.
OKUN
He's dying out. I want him
sprayed down with saline.
Russell SLAMS his fist against the switch, the room stops. He
GRABS a doctor nearby, gets in his face.
RUSSELL
My boys is slipping into a diabetic
coma. If you don't do something
about it right now he will die.
Miguel is surprised and proud of Russell as he holds DOCTOR
ISAACS, meaning business.
DR. ISAACS
O'Haver, Miller, come with me.
(to Russell)
Take us to him.
CUT TO:
EXT. ROAD - MAINTENANCE TRUCK - NIGHT
Headlights pierce the darkness as the maintenance truck rolls
to a stop. Jasmine climbs down out of the truck, her face
ashen.
She walks past a sign reading: El Toro Marine Corps Air
Station. Tears begin to roll from her eyes. We follow her
gaze to see...
EXT. EL TORO MARINE CORPS AIR STATION - CONTINUOUS
The entire facility is smoldering, the last remnants of the
fire burning itself to extinction. Jasmine is devastated.
CUT TO:
INT. AREA 51 COMMAND CENTER - NIGHT
General Grey and Nimziki are in a heated argument.
GENERAL GREY
You were the head of the National
Intelligence Agency! You knew all
about this. When were you
planning on informing the rest of
us!?
NIMZIKI
It had been deemed classified.
GENERAL GREY
Christ, why didn't you say
anything about this when they
first arrived? You could have
warned us before we launched a
counter attack that cost us
hundreds of American pilots!
Just then the President enters along with Constance and some
other ADVISORS. He examines a paper map of the United States,
tacked to the wall, each major city circled in black.
PRESIDENT
Atlanta, Chicago and Philadelphia,
destroyed?
GENERAL GREY
(composing himself)
And there are scattered reports of
sightings over Miami, Ft. Worth,
And Memphis.
The President and his team take seats at the large conference
table.
GENERAL GREY (cont'd)
We've learned that NATO and
western allied installations were
the firs to be taken out. We
were next. They knew exactly where
and how to hit us.
Grey sneaks an accusatory glare at Nimziki.
PRESIDENT
And our forces?
GENERAL GREY
We're down to approximately
fifteen percent, Sir.
(beat)
If you calculate the time it takes
them to destroy a city and move
on, we're looking at world wide
destruction of every major city
within the next thirty six hours.
PRESIDENT
We're being exterminated.
The room is quiet. Constance runs her fingers through her
hair. The door to the room opens and Lt. Mitchell enters with
Steve.
MITCHELL
Mr. President, this is Lt.
Colonel Steven Hill.
The President quickly gets to his feet, anxiously shaking
Steve's hand.
PRESIDENT
Lieutenant, congratulations.
STEVE
Thank you, sir.
PRESIDENT
Where is the prisoner now?
MITCHELL
We have him in isolation. The
doctors are very hopeful he will
survive.
PRESIDENT
I'd like to see him.
MITCHELL
Yes, sir.
The General is concerned but the President is determined.
They head for the door.
STEVE
(to General Grey)
General, I'm anxious to get back
to El Toro.
GENERAL GREY
Didn't anyone tell you? I'm
sorry. El Toro was destroyed in
the attack.
Steve is shattered, he had no idea.
CUT TO:
EXT. EL TORO BASE - NIGHT
The injured are gathered around a small camp fire. Jasmine
walks up, dumping a box full of charred can goods.
JASMINE
These should last us a while.
As Margaret tries to move, she winces in pain. Jasmine rushes
to her aid. The color from her face drained, Margaret looks
like she's taking a turn for the worse.
JASMINE
Don't move. Stay still.
Jasmine adjusts the bandages as Margaret turns and see Dylan
curled up next to Boomer, too adorable. Slowly he starts to
wake up.
MARGARET
Your son.
JASMINE
He's my angel.
MARGARET
Was his father stationed here?
JASMINE
He wasn't his father. I was kinda
hoping he'd want the job, though.
Jasmine becomes sad, remembering. Margaret changes the
subject.
MARGARET
So, what do yo do for a living?
JASMINE
I'm a dancer.
MARGARET
Really? Ballet?
JASMINE
(laughs)
No. Exotic.
MARGARET
Oh. Sorry.
JASMINE
Don't be. I'm not. It's good
money.
(re: Dylan)
'Side, he's worth it.
The bandages changed, Jasmine sits down next to Margaret.
MARGARET
And when the dancing's over? What
about your future?
JASMINE
Funny, it used to scare me when I
thought about the future.
(looking around)
Guess it doesn't really matter
anymore.
Dylan comes walking over.
JASMINE
Dylan, come here. I want you to
meet the First Lady.
MARGARET
(surprised)
I thought you didn't recognize me.
JASMINE
Didn't want to say anything. I
voted for the other guy.
CUT TO:
INT. CONTAINMENT LAB - NIGHT
Okun and two Medical assistants examine the alien creature.
His arms and chest have been strapped down to the examining
table.
For the first time we get a good look at the head of this
creature, long tentacled-type cords interlocked, covering the
face. The doctors attach clamps to each of the cords.
OKUN
Everyone ready?
The doctors exchange nervous glances, nod to each other. At
the same moment all they pull on the clamps, unraveling the
interlocked cords. As the cords unravel, we SEE that this is
in fact a bio-mechanical SUIT as we REVEAL...
THE ALIEN
Beneath the cords lay the unconscious face of the alien, his
skin translucent, his body fluids, capillaries, muscle tissue,
alien's skin.
OKUN
Do we have life support monitors
recording?
MED ASSIST #2
Yes. If we fuck up it'll all be
on tape.
OKUN
Can we get some ventilation in
here? I can't take this smell.
MED ASSIST #2
They've conquered space travel but
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