Independence Day Page #17

General Grey moves to the President who slowly recovers.

GENERAL GREY:

Mr. President, are you okay?

Woozily the President sits up, a strange look in his eye.

PRESIDENT:

He wanted me to understand. He

communicated with me.

(turning to Grey)

They're like locusts. They travel

from planet to planet, their whole

civilization. After they've

consumed every natural resource

they move on. And we're next.

The President stands with a new resolve. He stares at the

dead alien on the floor.

PRESIDENT:

(cold)

Prepare a nuclear strike.

INT. STORAGE LAB - MINUTES LATER

The research staff are working near the recovered alien

attacker. Constance comes rushing in. She looks around for

David. Through the glass of one of the offices she sees him.

INT. OFFICES - CONTINUOUS

Holding a bottle of Jack Daniels, David fishes through a small

refrigerator as Constance enters.

DAVID:

Just my luck, no ice.

CONSTANCE:

I take it you've heard.

DAVID:

A toast to the end of the world.

David toasts her with the bottle, takes a swig.

CONSTANCE:

He didn't come to this decision

lightly.

David nods, he doesn't want to argue. He smiles cynically.

DAVID:

You still believe in him.

CONSTANCE:

He's a good man.

DAVID:

Better be. You left me for him.

CONSTANCE:

I wanted a career. Didn't you

ever want to be part of something

special?

David stares daggers at her.

DAVID:

I was part of something special.

Constance realizes he means their marriage. She's hurt him

and can see it. She turns and leaves.

CUT TO:

EXT. DARK SKIES - NIGHT

A black shadow is vaguely seen in the dark night. As we pass

some moonlit clouds we recognize the shadow is, in fact, a B-2

STEALTH BOMBER.

As we WIDEN, we see that the bomber is part of a squadron of

eight. These mighty winged giants fly together in attack

formation.

INT. COMMAND CENTER - ARE 51 - SAME

A tracking screen comes to life, eight blips flashing.

TECHNICIAN #1

We've got the AWAC on line.

Signals coming in low.

The President's group takes their position behind the

technicians.

EXT. BLACK SKIES - NIGHT

The eight B-2 Stealth Bombers break formation, each heading

off to their different target destinations.

INT. COMMAND CENTER - SAME

On a large map, we see the eight target destinations and the

planes heading for them.

PRESIDENT:

Who will we reach first?

COMMANDER:

Houston, Texas. Intercept ETA,

six minutes and counting down.

PRESIDENT:

Oh my God, Houston.

GENERAL GREY:

The major cities have been

deserted. Civilian casualties

should be at a minimum, sir.

One map screen, ENLARGES, tracking the bomber on route to

Houston.

EXT. LIQUOR STORE - OUTSIDE HOUSTON - NIGHT

Looters take all they can carry through the broken glass store

front. A large heavily armored TANK rolls up front.

INT. ARMORED TANK - SAME

Nervous military technicians work equipment as their TANK

COMMANDER pulls down a periscope.

TANK COMMANDER POV - SPACE SHIP OVER HOUSTON

Through the periscopes cross-hairs we SEE downtown Houston,

the City Destroyer space ships settling in above it.

EXT. B-2 STEALTH BOMBER - SAME

Silhouetted against the shimmering waters on the bay, they

Stealth Bomber can be seen as it approaches Houston.

INT. B-2 STEALTH BOMBER - COCKPIT - SAME

The flight crew works their computers (similar readouts are

seen at command center). The Multi-Function Display (MFD)

flashing before each crew member.

PILOT:

We have laser targeting locked.

INT. COMMAND CENTER - SAME

TECHNICIAN #1

Target is locked, sir. Do you

wish to deploy?

Everyone turns to the President who does not answer.

GENERAL GREY:

Mr. President, do you wish to

deploy.

Still there is no answer.

NIMZIKI:

Mr. President?

PRESIDENT:

(softly)

Deploy.

EXT. B-2 STEALTH BOMBER - WEAPONS BAY - SAME

The bay doors open and a large Tactical Nuclear Cruise Missile

drops down, flies parallel with the bomber as it adjusts its

radar and laser tracking. Suddenly it SHOOTS OFF.

The bomber BANKS AWAY.

INT. B-2 STEALTH BOMBER - SAME

We see the horizon twisting away as we bank off from target.

PILOT:

She's away.

INT. COMMAND CENTER - SAME

On the big map we see one FLASHING target line tracking the

missile as it approaches Houston.

PRESIDENT:

(to himself)

May our children forgive us.

INT. ARMORED TANK - OUTSIDE HOUSTON - NIGHT

The Tank Commander readjusts the periscope.

TANK COMMANDER POV - SPACE SHIP & B-2 STEALTH BOMBER

We follow the Cruise Missile as it guides itself on a direct

collision course with the space craft.

INT. COMMAND CENTER - SAME

The targeting map shows how close the missile is, nearly on

top of the target. Everyone in the room holds their breath.

EXT. SPACE CRAFT - SAME

The nuke speeds closer. It HITS the protective shield and

DETONATES. A FLASH OF LIGHT.

WIDE ANGLE - HOUSTON

With the B-2 Stealth Bomber in the foreground, the city behind

it vanishes in a FLASH OF LIGHT, blinding us.

INT. COMMAND CENTER - SAME

We can see the extent of the explosion on the targeting map,

tracking it -- an expanding ring around Houston.

NIMZIKI:

(excited)

It's a hit!

The others are still waiting. The monitor shows the night

vision picture of the growing MUSHROOM CLOUD rising above the

city.

EXT. HOUSTON - WIDE - SAME

The MUSHROOM CLOUD engulfs the horizon.

EXT. ARMORED TANK - SAME

Rocked by the massive explosion, the shock wave ROCKS the

armored tank but doesn't destroy it.

INT. ARMORED TANK - SAME

The men inside are KNOCKED around, hard from the explosion.

INT. COMMAND CENTER - SAME

NIMZIKI:

We got the bastards!

General Grey shoots Nimziki a look. The President holds up a

hand, silencing the room.

PRESIDENT:

Can they see it? Did it destroy

the target?

TANK COMMANDER'S POV THROUGH PERISCOPE - SAME

As the cloud begins to dissipate we see THE SPACE CRAFT IS

STILL THERE, completely unharmed.

INT. ARMORED TANK - SAME

TANK COMMANDER:

Negative. Target remains.

INT. COMMAND CENTER - SAME

On the monitors as well, we can see the target remain. The

air is let out of the room, everyone deflated.

PRESIDENT:

Call them back.

NIMZIKI:

The other bombers might have more

luck. We shouldn't just give

up...

PRESIDENT:

I said call them back.

As the technicians call the bombers away, the President sinks

into a depression. His last hope of survival gone.

CUT TO:

EXT. EL TORO MARINE CORPS AIR STATION - NIGHT

Jasmine keeps Margaret company as the rest sleep around the

last flames of their campfire. From the worried expression on

Jasmine's face we can tell that Margaret has gotten worse, her

wounds bleeding badly.

A WIND kicks up, the sound of an ENGINE approaching. Jasmine

squints her eyes looking up into the wind when a BRIGHT LIGHT

engulfs her.

JASMINE'S POV - LIGHTS - NIGHT

Bright lights in the sky growing nearer. Slowly the others

begin to wake up, frightened as the lights INTENSIFY.

The others slowly begin to retreat but Jasmine stands, staring

defiantly. A smile creeps across her face as she sees that

the lights belong to...

TRANSPORT HELICOPTER

The Transport Helicopter touches down and Steve leaps out,

racing towards Jasmine. Overwhelmed, Jasmine jumps into his

arms.

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