The Andromeda Strain Page #2

He felt a more advanced

lab was required.

You mean more expensive, don't you?

I call that Dr. Stone's $90 million

mash note to Uncle Sam.

"In a true biological crisis

which our exploration of

space could bring about,

the present Lunar Receiving Laboratory

might prove inadequate.

I therefore urge

the establishment of a facility

to deal specifically

with an extraterrestrial form of life.

The purpose of this facility

would be to limit the dissemination

of such an unknown organism

from outer space

and to provide laboratories

for its analysis.

I recommend that this facility be located

in an uninhabited region

of the United States,

that it utilize all known

isolation techniques,

and that it be equipped

with a nuclear device

for self-destruction in the event

of an emergency.

Yours very truly, Jeremy Stone. "

Don't encourage the president

to think scientists are wizards.

If things get out of control,

and they might,

even you can't work miracles.

I'd expect to have

your help, Charlie.

Piedmont approaching, gentlemen.

Go over and give us a look first, Dempsey.

I was afraid of that.

The birds'll eat the infected flesh,

and then fly off and

spread the disease.

If it is a disease.

Drop the gas canisters.

Someone's supposed to be alive down there!

Somebody did something.

That's for sure.

Let's give it a double dose.

That gas will only kill the birds.

Okay, Dempsey, hover

over the main street

and drop the ladder.

Do not attempt to land.

Is that clear?

Roger. Clearer all the time.

When we climb down,

lift off to 1,000 feet

and hover at a safe distance.

And come back when we signal.

If anything happens to us,

you have your orders.

Yes, sir. Proceed directly

to Wildfire and then...

If we're eliminated,

the aircraft and pilot

will have to be sterilized.

Wait a minute!

That's not what they told me.

Just incinerated.

Coronary?

I doubt it.

Hall!

Take a look at this.

Are you sure that isn't coronary?

No, coronary's painful.

They should grimace.

If it was fast, they wouldn't have time.

Fast? These people were

cut down in mid-stride.

Up there! Look.

An Air Force jet.

If we don't make it to Wildfire,

he'll see the helicopter does...

or shoot it down.

Well, for Dempsey's sake,

we better not slip up.

"The Day of Judgment is at hand.

Have mercy on my soul

and to hell with all

the others. Amen. "

Senile.

This took time!

Regardless of what made her do it,

it took time.

There's a chance someone's still alive.

I wouldn't believe you could

commit suicide that way.

Most of them died instantly,

but a few had time

to go quietly nuts.

Let's find the damn satellite.

This injury, there isn't any bleeding.

A cut like this... torn veins,

broken capillaries...

should bleed like hell.

Yes. Well, there's no blood

on any of them.

Even where it's chewed, no bleeding.

Hold it, hold it!

You'd better back up.

We gotta go to the... left.

We're damn close. Bear right.

I'll bet they took it to the doctor.

There it is.

The damn fool opened it!

Yeah, every country doctor

should run his office

like the lunar lab.

The capsule first, Hall.

We've got about 40

minutes of oxygen left.

Have a look at his buttocks.

That's not funny.

Not meant to be.

Normally blood in a dead person

goes to the lowest points.

There should be marks of lividity.

Do you see purplish marks on his butt?

No.

Careful you don't puncture your suit.

Clotted blood!

Powdered!

I'll be damned!

No wonder they didn't bleed.

It's clotted throughout

the entire system.

Five quarts of blood

turned to powder!

In theory, I suppose,

a single organism could do it.

But, in fact, there isn't

an organism on Earth...

You mean, there didn't used to be.

I don't...

We heard it all right.

Go away! Go back!

Get back! Get out

of here. Go back!

Get away!

This must be the mother.

He's scared, and hungry as hell.

Can't be more than six months.

There's probably a

formula in the kitchen.

Don't feed it!

He hasn't eaten in

at least 12 hours!

We don't do anything

until we get that kid

into a controlled situation.

Maybe feeding is part

of the disease process.

Maybe those who hadn't

eaten lasted longest.

Whatever it is, with

our oxygen running out,

we can't take a chance.

Wait a minute.

This is a major break...

a survivor.

Too bad he can't tell

us what happened.

Maybe he can... if he lives.

You!

You... you did it!

Give me that knife.

You're not human.

Everybody's dead.

What happened?

What is it?

What happened?

The town is finished,

contaminated beyond all...

Careful, sir.

This is an open transmission.

I'm aware of that, Manchek.

Order up a 7-12.

Only the president...

Precisely. Get on it.

The town must be

neutralized immediately.

Has the president made his decision

on Directive 7-12 yet?

He doesn't jump into

things, Dr. Robertson.

First I've got to put together

a briefing for him.

The president's main concern is

the international consequences.

What do you think, Mr. Secretary?

It's against the Moscow Treaty of 1963

to fire thermonuclear

weapons above ground.

The Russians will have

to be privately informed

we're going to cauterize the area.

Then they'll ask a flock of questions.

Some we don't want answered.

That'll take hours.

God knows how far the infection

can spread in that time.

Yes, Chief?

Yes, sir.

Yes, Mr. President.

The president's decided

to postpone Directive 7-12

for 24 to 48 hours.

Instead he'll call

out the National Guard

to cordon off the area around Piedmont.

That's your department, Ed.

Safe and sound.

It should've been left up

to the scientists.

It's a colossal mistake.

Tell the president I said so.

No, but...

I'll get you an appointment.

By

whose decision, General,

was the site for Wildfire chosen?

Dr. Stone's.

It seemed ideal because

of its remoteness.

There was no inhabited area

near Wildfire for a

radius of 112 miles.

Las Vegas is to the north,

Phoenix to the south,

Los Angeles west.

Weren't you worried

the infection might spread to them?

Yes, sir, I was,

but Dr. Stone and Dr. Robertson

assured the president

Wildfire was foolproof

because of its device

for atomic self-destruct.

The military had to

take a backseat.

At least they could've

sent a licensed driver

to meet me at that crummy airstrip.

They keep personnel to a minimum

for obvious reasons.

You're lost!

No one's been down

this goat path for years.

That's how it's supposed to look.

They spent $50,000 on it.

Putting in the potholes?

Getting rid of the tread marks.

Those big tractors leave

a lasting impression.

A lot of heavy equipment

has passed this way.

Where's our leader?

We'll catch up to him

and Hall very soon now.

Why'd they pick Hall?

He's no scientist.

Who needs an overpriced M. D?

Relax and enjoy your cigarette.

It's your last.

It starts here.

It's a great place to grow pot.

Just a plain old crop of barley.

Still, it is rather clever, I think.

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