The Andromeda Strain

Piedmont, New Mexico.

Population 68.

Come on.

I didn't notice them before.

That's crazy. I didn't know

buzzards fly at night.

That's what they look like.

Here.

Boy, that's some dead burg.

Buzzards only come

when something's dead.

Well, I guess we better

go in and have a look.

This is Caper One to Vandal Deca.

Caper One to Vandal Deca.

Are you reading? Over.

Yes, I'm reading. Over.

We're about to enter

the town of Piedmont

and recover the satellite.

Very good, Caper One.

Leave your radio open.

Roger.

We're now inside the town.

It's kind of spooky.

I see a church steeple

ahead on the left.

It's quiet here.

It's the damndest thing.

There's no sign of life.

The signals from the satellite

are getting very strong.

Sir! You see that, Lieutenant?

See what, Crane?

Over by the fence.

It looks like a body.

Easy, Crane.

You're imagining things.

Holy!

Sir, it's another one.

You're right. It looks dead.

Yes, sir, shall I...

No! Stay in the van.

Vandal Deca to Caper One.

What's happening?

We see

bodies, lots of them.

Are you certain, Caper One?

Damn it, Comroe,

of course we're certain.

Your orders are proceed

to satellite and retrieve.

Roger, Vandal Deca.

Stay at your stations!

Hit that security button!

Get me Major Manchek.

Somehow they don't

hardly look dead, Lieutenant.

They're all over the place.

Must be dozens of them.

Damn it, get this call through!

It's sort of like they just

dropped in their tracks, sir.

Sir!

Good Chri..!

Do you see that thing in white?

Yeah, it's coming toward us.

Major, this may sound crazy,

but there's something strange

going on with Caper One.

Sir, I think we should get out of h...

Hello, Ops, this is Major Manchek,

Scoop Control A-12.

We need a flyby over

Piedmont, New Mexico.

Infrared. A FLI R scan, all sectors.

Film to come direct to Scoop.

Assign Gunner Wilson,

if he's not crocked someplace.

Jeez!

I'm declaring a state of emergency.

All personnel restricted to base.

Everything seen and heard

in that room is top secret.

Yes, sir.

This is a recording.

State your name and

your message and hang up.

Major Arthur Manchek,

Scoop Mission Control A-12.

I recommend calling a Wildfire Alert.

We have evidence here on film

of unnatural death caused by

Scoop 7 returning to earth.

Time check 0-1-4-7 inclusive.

We'd like to see Dr. Jeremy Stone, please.

Well, I'm Mrs. Stone.

We are having a party. May I...

Does that man have a gun?

Ma'am, we must see Dr. Stone.

What is this?

Please call Dr. Stone to the door.

Otherwise we'll go get him.

Just a minute.

I'll just wait here, ma'am.

I'll come to Berkeley anytime, Stone.

That $4 million must be

your largest federal grant.

May I see you, Jeremy?

The S.D.S. Has arrived, no doubt.

Jeremy, there are some

Army types in the hall

and two more outside with guns.

They want to see you.

I'll take care of it.

Jeremy! If you knew about this,

you might've told...

I didn't. I'll explain later.

I'm Dr. Stone.

Yes. I'm Captain Morton.

There's a fire, sir.

I've got to leave.

For God's sakes, Jeremy!

When will you be back?

I'm not sure.

The guns, is it...

Mrs. Stone, it's our job

to protect your husband.

From now on, nothing must

be allowed to happen to him.

I'll be safe as in your arms.

Jeremy? Jeremy!

You tell the senator it's his daughter!

Allison?

Dad, something very

peculiar has just happened,

even for Jeremy.

A few minutes ago...

Dad, are you there?

What's going on?

This communication

is being monitored. The connection

has been broken for reasons

of national security.

You will be briefed

at the appropriate time.

Thank you for your cooperation, Mrs. Stone.

I feel like Onassis.

It was the fastest thing

we could arrange, sir.

Thanks.

Yes?

General Sparks here.

I just wanted to inform you

that all members of your

team have been cleared

and are now being called in.

Except for Professor Kirke.

He's in the hospital. Appendectomy.

You'll get complete

details on everything

when your team is assembled.

You don't make sense.

You talk like you've been brainwashed.

You don't understand.

Germ warfare people, Dad?

A lab accident?

Thank you.

It's different this time.

Don't pack, Claire,

I won't need anything.

A hippie. He's going to a love-in.

I give up.

One minute you're fed up.

You talk about retiring to Alaska yet!

Now you've turned into

a cloak-and-dagger man.

My glasses.

Here they are, Dad.

Can't you at least tell me who phoned

at this ungodly hour?

Grandpa, there's a car,

and they got guns.

Do they now?

Well, that's serious.

I'll watch out.

Honey, you've been dreaming.

I wish I were!

No. Uh-uh.

Get someone else.

Dr. Leavitt, I told you, there's a fire!

My experiment's at the critical stage.

I've been working around the clock.

I can't just leave now.

I want that new plate read

as soon as it's developed.

Yes, ma'am.

My orders come from Dr. Robertson,

the president's science

advisor in Washington.

There's a phone. Pick it up.

Call Robbie.

Tell him I burnt my draft card.

Are you sick, ma'am?

We have a physician on call.

All Dr. Leavitt needs is rest.

Knock it off, Bess.

If the physician certifies that

you are unable to continue...

No!

I'm fine.

Relax.

I'm going with you.

Skin knife.

Hold it, Mark.

Sorry to disturb you.

There's just been a call

from a Dr. Robertson

at the White House.

Your orders are to break scrub.

Orders? I've got a patient all ready.

Kelly will take over for you.

It's all arranged.

You're expected in the

surgeon's room in 30 seconds.

Are you sure the satellite

isn't radioactive?

No. Manchek showed me

the telemetry reports.

Presumably, it could be

some form of space germ.

Presumably this stuff is nonporous.

Why did you pick me?

You're an M.D., a talented surgeon

who knows blood chemistries

and you're single...

the "Odd Man Hypothesis. "

What the hell is that?

Didn't you read the Wildfire material

I've been sending you?

Very little.

I never went in much

for science fiction.

Nor do I!

It seems to me, General,

Dr. Stone put one over on you.

In fact, he made us all think

his Wildfire Lab could handle

contamination from outer space.

I disagree with the senator from Vermont.

Dr. Stone, a Nobel Prize winner,

twice president of the

National Academy of Sciences,

is well known here in Washington.

Is the implication that Dr. Stone

deliberately misled us?

Perhaps not deliberately, Senator.

I'm reasonably certain

that before the night

the Wildfire Team was mobilized,

Dr. Stone didn't know Scoop existed.

I'm astounded.

Reasons of national security.

Very smart.

We've had experiences

with scientists before.

Now, let's talk about

this famous letter

Dr. Stone sent to the president

some two years ago.

From what you're saying,

it was just a shot in the dark?

Perhaps that's a little unfair, Senator.

Dr. Stone and I were

consultants with NASA

on the Lunar Receiving Lab.

He wasn't completely satisfied.

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