Independence Day Page #4

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.

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