Fiction
EXT. NEW YORK CITY - DAY
The sun rises over the mountains and a female reporter begins to speak about the main news topic of the day.
KATIE LEE (REPORTER)
It began with the National Guard and now the Army Reserve has moved in to block off huge sections of the cities that came under attack yesterday, shortly before the voting booths closed on the East Coast. No media is allowed in the area. Even news helicopters do not have permission to fly into these air spaces. We can only speculate the reasons behind the military's actions, though we have been receiving calls from the local residents. As they leave their homes, they cannot take their normal routes to work and other places. They are being detoured to other parts of the cities. The businesses closet to the voting centers are not going to open today. We are told that the military will remove all debris from the explosions before they will allow people to return. Rob…
ROB (ANCHOR)
Katie…I believe many of our viewers get the feeling the government is using the military to hide what happened there. Could someone from our own government be behind these tragedies?
KATIE
That's my guess, the White House Spokesman has not addressed the media at this point, which is very unusual after an event like this.
ROB
Stay on the scene Katie…maybe someone will tell you something about what happened yesterday.
KATIE
I'll definitely be here…
ROB
Thank you Katie, reporting from New York City. Ladies and gentlemen, unfortunately, all we can do now is sit and wait for word from military officials or the White House. We pray that international terrorists are not involved. But, at this point, we can't rule anything out until we know exactly what happened. Dan, do you have anything to add…?
DAN
Robert, we have our own "experts" if you will, looking at the videos of the explosions from yesterday. As they study the film and compare it to other footage we have of recent explosions, we may be able to tell what kind of bombs were used in yesterday's attacks.
ROB
That is remarkable. Leave those men to their work. We're anxiously waiting to hear their thoughts. Any comments from them so far?
DAN
Only that the technology is new, as far as explosives go…these bombs are more precise, more organized in how they explode. Like nothing they've ever seen before.
ROB
Do you know if they're ruling out the involvement of mutants in this incident?
DAN
Yes, the explosions seem to be from man-made bombs…but as I said, their complexity is on another level. As you see here in the video, the bombs don't go off at the same time "and" some of these explosions are smaller than others.
They pretty much carve out a piece of this building before the huge explosion brings this wall of concrete down. Whoever is behind this is very smart and has access to advanced military technology.
ROB
There is a scary thought. Now folks, let's not jump to conclusions here, but we have to put the pieces together. The more we look at the video, the more questions we ask, the faster we'll get to the bottom of all of this. We'll be back in a moment…
During this telecast, we move from house to house, finally landing on the home of one of the X-Men…in another country, Piotr Rasputin.
It's night-time outside. Piotr turns off the television with the remote control. He turns off the lights in his home, heads out the door and locks it. We move forward through the curtains of a front window as Piotr starts his car and drives off. As he heads across the countryside, he turns on the radio (XM Satellite) to listen to the news reports from the U.S. …
ROB
…they have their reasons behind this as well. Yes, the votes have all been counted, we know who the next President of the United States will be…however, military forces on the ground backup the message from the White House…no newscast will report the winner until their investigation is over. To my knowledge, they haven't given any of us a reason why…but for the sake of national security and out of respect for our military forces, we are following these instructions.
(pause)
Wait…we're getting an update, Katie do you have something for us?
KATIE
Yes, Rob they have cleared this area in what seems like record time! Trucks have moved in to remove the barricades…
ROB
Wow, this is a sudden move by the ground forces isn't it?
KATIE
It seems that they've planned this very well…and…Rob, the National Guard is pulling out, they are leaving the area! Our camera-man can show you…people are looking out the windows of their apartments wondering what's going on…
ROB
Any word from the commander of these forces?
KATIE
Wait…soldiers are heading this way…
(to the soldier)
Can you tell us what's happening?!
SOLDIER
I've been ordered to tell you to wrap this up, now…
KATIE
But we're live on…
TROY (SOLDIER)
I'm sorry. You and your crew go back to your news station, this armored vehicle will be your escort…
KATIE
What…?
TROY
Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your cooperation up to this point, please stay off the streets until we give you further instructions. We're simply looking out for everyone's safety.
KATIE
Safety from who…?
The soldier backs up, looks around at his men quickly…
TROY
Let's go…!
The signal dies, the TV screens around the nation blank out and the feed returns to the main headquarters of the news media.
ROB
We've lost Katie! I don't know what's going on, but we've been told not to send additional reporters to the scene! If anyone can hear or see anything from your homes or wherever you are, contact the station immediately!
INT. NEW YORK CITY – UNDERGROUND FACILITY
We move across the scene and pass a wall within the office, transferring us to a military facility where Jim Slade, Rosenburg, and Captain Brenner are walking down a corridor to a lab.
SLADE
I don't think anyone knows I'm here. The news about the explosions has the media's attention. What did you find?
BRENNER
This blue wiring was found at all the scenes, embedded into the concrete.
SLADE
What's so special about this?
BRENNER
Nothing really. It's standard electrical lines that are normally apart of all modern architecture. Electricians started using it about five years ago. It creates more light using less power. Of course, cities who could afford it began purchasing this type of wire to save money and become "more green" as they call it.
SLADE
How does this tie into the explosions?
BRENNER
Those teams were already in position to blow up specific sections of those buildings. All of these building sections had been updated with these new wires. As you'll see…when charged with the type of energy those soldiers were using in their weapons…the wires can ignite. Explode.
SLADE
Why didn't this danger come up in the test results? Someone covered it up?
BRENNER
I've never seen energy pulses like the ones they use in their weapons. I don't think the inspectors knew it existed. Or enough officials looked away. But we all helped create this wire. Military technicians met at the U.N. from various countries to work together on finding another way to conserve resources globally. It's tough to gather evidence that points to who is the most responsible.
SLADE
If the U.N. loses credibility, the mutant laws passed a few years ago will certainly be challenged. They'll be held responsible for letting this threat go right passed them.
BRENNER
If I may say sir…with only two months left in office, the current President has no power. And if the primaries indicate how yesterday's vote went, you are the new President of the United States.
SLADE
I know, I know…suggestions?
BRENNER
You're asking me?
SLADE
Yes.
BRENNER
You have to take control of the White House, right now, while we still have time. Get your cabinet members and staff together, go to Washington, D.C. The President has to step aside…
SLADE
He won't allow that and you know it…!
BRENNER
You asked me, sir!
SLADE
Allan…Allan you've been quiet. What's on your mind?
As Allan puts his hand on Rosenburg's shoulder, Allan's form changes. He is an imposter, a shape-shifter. Mystique. Eyes glowing, she swings at Slade's head, but Slade dodges it.
The Captain rushes Mystique knocking her backwards, but a device attached to her palm lights up and fires an energy pulse at the Captain hitting him in the chest, he falls to the ground.
Mystique turns her attention back to Slade, firing another energy pulse. Slade leaps out of the way…the explosion behind him launches him forward into a wall.
Military forces from the base run down the corridor to the room, but the door is jammed.
Mystique charges up the energy pulse about to fire on Slade when the Captain hits her in the head with a metal container knocking her backwards.
The energy pulse fires at the ceiling. Debris falls all around them.
Mystique hurls the Captain across the room when Slade jumps over a console and kicks her with both feet together. Only stunned, she knocks Slade back over the console and prepares to fire.
The Captain picks up a small container and yells…
BRENNER
Catch..!
Mystique spins her arm around to fire on the Captain as the small container spins towards her. The energy pulse hits to container first and explodes knocking Mystique unconscious.
Slade and the Captain come up from hiding behind the fallen debris.
BRENNER
Are you alright?!
SLADE
Yeah…you?
CAPTAIN
Fine. How long has he been working for you?!
SLADE
They probably killed Rosenburg and sent this thing to us in his place. We should've detected she was a shifter but…our scans came up clean. But how..?
CAPTAIN
Look…she's got the new tech gear implanted in her skin…almost a replica of Rosenburg's energy…
SLADE
What did you throw at her?!
CAPTAIN
(kneels down to hot-wire the room's door)
The wiring. A taste of her own medicine. They probably used various levels of this energy pulse to detonate the explosives…got it!
The Captain repaired enough of the wires to get the entrance open.
CAPTAIN
We gotta get you top-side, they may know we're onto them.
(to his men)
Stay in groups. If something or someone seems out of place, notify everyone immediately.
GROUP
Yes sir!
CAPTAIN
Move out!
Jim Slade is escorted upwards by a large group of soldiers.
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