Polar Storm Page #2

---

that as many as a quarter

of a million people

may have

perished in this

history-making disaster.

One piece of

good news

to report,

local resident

Dr. James Mayfield

has miraculously

survived the blast

despite being within

a few hundred miles

of ground zero

where the comet struck.

He is expected to

be arriving home today.

James!

I thought

I'd lost you.

It's good

to be home.

(Lou over TV)

Mayfield is one voice

raising caution...

Hey, buddy.

Hey, Dad!

[happy chuckles]

You okay?

Yeah.

Welcome home.

Thanks.

Who wants coffee?

I would love one.

Well, I'm sure you guys

has lots of science stuff

to talk about so,

Whoa, Shane.

Where are

you going?

I just got home,

sit down with us.

Yeah, I'm kinda tired.

I feel like

laying down.

He got into a

fight and broke

a telescope.

I'm making him

and the other kid

pay for it. Sorry.

No, don't be sorry.

I don't envy either

one of you.

I wouldn't want

a stepmother

for a teacher

or a stepson

for a student.

Now that you're home,

you're gonna have to

play bad cop

and do all

the disciplining.

Otherwise he's never

gonna let me

get close.

Deal.

(female voice)

... worst-case scenarios

that were to happen

if the comet were

to hit Earth,

I wonder,

Mr. President,

has the impact from the comet

created a lasting effect,

the public should be

concerned with.

We're still investigating

that possibility.

But right now, it

doesn't appear that

there's anything

that the

public needs

to worry about.

You gotta

be joking.

What?

A 300-meter

projectile hits

the planet

at 30 km

per second

and he's saying

there's nothing

to worry about?

Maybe he just

doesn't want to

scare the public.

[loud exhale]

Unlike some

people I know.

My science advisers

have reported

that the immediate

crisis is over.

So the important thing

for the American people

to know

is that

they're safe,

that they can

go on about

their daily lives,

This is unbelievable.

James,

I know you went

through a terrible

ordeal in Alaska.

But you're

home now.

Okay? So let someone

else do the worrying

for a change.

Enjoy being

with your family.

You're right.

You're right

as usual.

Mm-hm.

The United States

of America

[static]

stands ready

to offer assistance all

available citizens necessary.

[loud piercing noise]

What is that

terrible sound?

[static, shrill sound]

[loud humming

in crescendo]

[loud thuds]

An earthquake?

Quick, take cover!

Shane, you okay?

[door opens]

Yeah.

What?

What?

(James, over phone)

What do you mean

it's been classified?

Just what I said.

All the data we

collected in Alaska

and uploaded

to Government

has been classified.

And neither you nor

I have the clearance

to access it.

In fact, we shouldn't

even be talking about

this right now.

The whole dept's

under a gag order.

That tremor

we just had

was preceded

by some kind of

EM disturbance

which could mean

that there's been

serious damage

to the

magnetic field.

Yeah. I recorded

an EM spike earlier

but I didn't know

what caused it.

We need the

comet data. Who

classified it?

The Administration.

Great. Not even a

comet hit is immune

to political spin.

Maybe there really

was some damage

to the field

and they don't want

to disclose it to

the public.

We need

to find out.

(female recorded voice)

You've reached the office

of the President's

Science Adviser.

Due to

extenuating circumstances,

this office will not

be taking phone calls

until further notice.

[beep]

[deep sigh]

[buzzing]

What are you

doing up on

the roof?

T racking the sun.

And why would you

be tracking

the sun?

It's not where

it's supposed

to be.

Why would

you say that?

Yesterday, the

sun set behind

Eagle Peak.

What do you mean?

It's never set

behind the Peak.

Exactly.

[phone rings]

Hello?

(girl's voice)

Hey! Is

this Shane?

Yeah, who's this?

Hi, it's Zoe.

I was just calling to

tell Miss Penny the

pastries are ready.

Pastries?

We're donating

them for the school's

disaster fund drive.

So she can

pick them up

whenever she wants.

Okay, I'll let

her know.

Okay.

Bye.

Bye.

Hi.

Zoe just called.

The pastries for

the fund drive

are ready.

Want me to go pick

them up for you?

That would be

great, Shane.

Thank you.

Can I help you?

Oh.

Hi.

How's it going?

Good. You're here

to pick up the stuff

for your mom, right?

She's not my mom.

Okay. Step-mom.

Hey. You have

my sympathy.

I'd die if my dad

picked one of

my teachers.

[cell rings]

Hello?

Hey!

My God.

What is it?

The sun's 10 degrees

off where it should

be this time of year.

How can that be?

Okay. In like

an hour?

You still meeting

Kevin at the

park today?

Uh, yeah.

Yeah, okay.

Alright, okay.

Bye.

Here it is.

Thanks.

I'll be at

the park

with Kevin.

Oh, yeah?

Yeah.

I'll see

you there.

Cool.

[car door closes]

Hey, James!

Hey, Lou!

I haven't had a chance

to talk to you since

the interview.

So, what's

this great story

you've got for me?

You remember how

we used to come

out here

and watch all

those sunsets?

Maybe that's what

you came out

here for.

I was out here

for the babes

and the booze.

Do you remember how this

sundial was always right

on the money?

Yeah, I remember.

[loud music from car]

[motor revs]

Hey, Shane.

Hey, Zoe.

So what am l?

Chopped liver?

So, Shane buddy, l

got a little problem

because of you.

You see this car?

My dad's making me sell it

to pay for the stupid

telescope you broke.

We broke it.

Whatever. The

point is,

I think we

can settle this

little problem.

How is that?

Drag race.

You and me.

You win, I'll pay the

the telescope.

I win,

you pay.

Come on, what

do you think?

Not afraid of getting

your ass whupped,

are ya?

You wouldn't win.

Ouch. You

hear that?

Greaser-boy thinks

he can beat me.

Let's do it.

Dr. Mayfield

says his suspicion

was first aroused

when he noticed

the sun setting

behind Eagle Peak.

Now, I can tell you

from my own experience

as I was growing up here,

the sun has never

set behind Eagle

Peak before.

And then there's our

trusty sundial here

which has never

been wrong.

Until today.

[motors rev loudly]

[piercing sound

from radio]

Ready, guys?

Get set--

[shout]

Shane! Get

out, Shane!

Shane!

Shane! Get out!

Oh, my God.

You okay?

Are you alright?

[heavy breathing]

What happened?

What just happened?

Poor Kevin.

Oh, my God.

I can't

get reception.

What about you?

Nothing.

What is that?

[dull roar]

It looks like

an aurora.

Here? I thought

those things only

happened up north

in places

like Alaska.

Something bad's happening.

Dr. Mayfield,

what exactly

is the problem

with an axis

tilt changing

ten degrees?

I mean, so

what if the sun

sets 10 minutes later?

A shifted axis tilt

means the

Earth's axis

of rotation

is out of alignment

with its magnetic poles.

This could have serious

consequences for the

Earth's magnetic field.

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