Polar Storm Page #4

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As the

north and south

poles disintegrate,

the magnetic field

they support

will collapse,

static discharges

will create

electromagnetic shock waves

which will fry

everything electronic.

We'll be

thrown back into

the Stone Age.

The north and

south poles

will disappear,

reemerging at

opposite ends

of the globe,

by which point

our protective

magnetic shield

will be completely

gone, exposing us

to cosmic rays

which will

incinerate the planet,

just like what

happened on Mars!

Must we be

so melodramatic?

This is real science,

Mr. President.

This planet

has seen many

geomagnetic reversals.

Just not since

we've been here.

As a man

of science,

I'm sure you can

appreciate the need

for thoughtful,

rational discussion.

However, your melodrama

and sensational

media appearances,

gives one the impression

that your intentions

are perhaps

more to do

with self-promotion.

I've had a long

day, gentlemen.

I'm signing off.

What did you

expect, James?

You just told them

the world was

gonna end.

This isn't

global warming, Dad,

where we can spend

years dragging our feet

and debating

the facts.

They'll find

out soon enough.

[birds chirping]

[soft music

over car radio]

[piercing sound

over radio]

Wait.

That's the same sound

I heard just before

the quake last night.

[shrill sound]

[radio wallah]

[piercing sound

over radio]

Stop the car!

[distant dull roar]

Turn off the car!

[thunderous booming]

[sizzling]

[shout]

[beeping]

My God.

I've never seen

anything like this.

[beeps]

Save your

data everybody!

[phone rings]

Storm Hazards.

(James)

What just happened?

Oh, my God, James.

It was a massive 40 khz

EM pulse surge.

Unlike anything

we've ever seen.

Yes. All the cities

that were hit were

blacked out.

And not only that.

Most of the satellites

in orbit got fried.

What could have

possibly created

a surge like that?

It's gotta be

connected to the

polar auroras.

Were the

hits random?

I don't know yet.

We lost power

during the spike,

which was

lucky for us.

Otherwise the EM

surge would have

fried everything.

We're just getting our

emergency generators going.

We're pulling up data now.

I'm seeing about

where 40-mile wide

EM waves struck Earth.

Overlay the locations

of the mini poles

on your screen,

and tell me

what you see.

Overlay locations

of all detected

mini poles.

Oh, my God.

All the hit areas

are where the

mini poles are.

Then that's it.

The solar particles

attracted by the poles

are building up massive

electrostatic discharges!

Pam, your office

has to tell all

those hit areas

to evacuate,

including Lindenville.

The discharges are gonna

get much stronger as

the field fails.

It's going to be

hard to issue

an alert

with a global blackout

but we'll certainly

do our best.

Can you run a

timeline projection

on your mainframe?

Give me

a couple

of hours.

It'll take a while

to process

the data.

James? How do

we stop this?

I don't know

that we can.

We just had the first

worldwide blackout

in history.

And you and none

of your brains

can explain why?

What we know

right now

for certain

is that the

affected cities

were struck

by large

electromagnetic shock waves.

Just as

Dr. Mayfield

had predicted.

General, have

you been able to

locate your son yet?

Not yet, sir.

He's in one of

the blackout areas.

Well, I want to speak

with him as soon as

he's located.

Yes, Mr. President.

So tell me,

Dr. Elman,

can you still say

with a certainty

that we're

not experiencing

pole reversal?

I don't have an

answer right

now, sir.

Are we

going to see

more of this?

Give me the

worst-case scenario.

Mr. President, until

we've assembled

our teams,

I don't want

to speculate

on something

that's not my

area of expertise.

Don't try to

cover your ass

with me, doctor.

We've got power outages

across the country!

American lives are at risk!

So tell me,

to the best

of your ability,

are we going

to see more

of this?

I believe so,

Mr. President.

Then I have

no choice

but to declare

federal martial law.

General Mayfield?

Yes, sir.

You'll supervise

west coast operations.

Yes, Mr. President.

We'll start setting

up shelters in the

affected areas, sir.

James, thank God.

Did you

find Shane?

Yeah, he was

at the park,

I've been trying

to call you.

Cell phones are useless.

Only landlines

are working.

Where's Shane?

One of the

kids he was

with last night

was killed in

the earthquake.

Oh, no.

What's going on?

There's no power

and I saw an EM

wave in the sky.

It's bad. We're gonna

have to get out

of Lindenville.

Shane.

You okay?

It's happening, huh?

Is the world

falling apart?

No, no.

Just going

through a

rough patch.

I've packed

for us both.

I'm not

going with you.

What do

you mean?

I'm going back

to the base.

What are you

talking about?

Why?

I have an idea,

and I have to talk

to the President.

I don't want

to, Cyn,

I just--

I don't see

that there's

a choice.

You're right,

there is no choice,

because your

family comes first.

No wonder Shane thinks

you don't love him.

Listen to me.

This is

not a drill.

It's the real deal.

The survival of

the planet depends

on actions taken

in the next

and those

so-called government

science advisers

don't have a clue.

I have to

do this.

For us.

We're here, smack in

the middle of a mini

pole's magnetic center,

the most

dangerous place

to be right now.

Everywhere inside

this circle

is gonna get

bombarded by

EM pulses

and torn apart by

seismic disturbances.

I want you guys

out of this circle

as soon as possible.

Go to this town here,

Little Brook

and wait for

me, okay?

What are you

talking about, Dad?

You're coming, right?

I can't.

I have to go

back to the base.

I don't believe

it, you're

abandoning us?

That sucks!

Try to understand,

there is a global

crisis going on.

You think

I don't

know that?

I saw one of my classmates

crushed to death in

a car last night.

I know.

I'm sorry.

So you don't care

if the same thing

happens to us?

Of course I do,

that's why I have

to fix this.

We'll be okay.

Leave me alone.

Shane, come on!

When an EM wave hits,

turn the car off till

it passes.

The electronics won't be

short-circuited as long as

the power's off.

If the power's on,

you and the car

will fry.

How long

will you be?

A day.

Maybe two.

Be careful.

Yeah.

You too.

Shane?

No! No!

No, no, no!

Take those

earbuds off.

Stay away

from electronics.

You will

get electrocuted

if an EM wave hits.

I'm serious.

It's dangerous.

Get rid of it.

I'll see you soon.

Hey--

I love you.

(male voice over radio)

All residents are

advised to remain tuned

to this emergency

broadcast channel.

Federal martial law

has been declared.

Lindenville residents

are ordered to evacuate

their homes

and take shelter

at Lindenville parish.

Why are they telling

everyone to go

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