Alien Convergence (2017) Movie Script
1
Picking up three near Earth
objects moving South by Southwest.
Calculating size estimates now.
Meteor class maintaining
mass through descent.
Hmm. They're coming right at us.
Trajectory estimates on our bogeys?
Holding steady through thermosphere entry.
All right, monitoring
flux reduction rates now.
Hmm.
They're losing mass.
Current trajectory predictions adjusting.
Something's not right here.
They appear to be accelerating.
What do you think?
We have stratosphere entry.
Yeah, but they're moving at such
an exponentially high rate of speed
for their size and velocity.
It doesn't make sense.
Maybe a wild current
caught them upon entry?
Yeah. Maybe.
But at their present mass, they just
shouldn't be moving this quickly.
Hmm.
Heading northwest. 20 degrees.
I'm right behind you, Bruce.
Stay tight, guys.
Rising up to 400 AGL.
Roger that. Moving into position.
Okay fellas, let's nail this thing
and give the gang back home
something to smile about.
On my mark...
Three,
Two,
One...
Mark.
Emma ain't taking it easy on 'em today.
Mm-mmm.
I'm losing Neuro engagement.
Crap.
Crap.
Ishiro!
Use your head, not your body!
I need you thinking the commands,
not pantomiming them!
Ishiro's down and out.
They're my last two.
Mmm.
You bet on the wrong horse again.
He's not getting better,
he's getting worse.
Can I have the other one?
No.
And then there were two.
Not for long, Bruce.
And there it is.
She couldn't shake him,
so she let the cobra loose.
Whoo!
Bruce is getting the hang of it.
He's been keeping up
with her for a while now.
What's getting to you up there?
Your not committing because
you're not concentrating.
How many times do I have to say it?
Let the plane do the work.
I am concentrating. I'm
focusing on the plane...
Just stop thinking about the plane.
Think about the commands.
Okay? The plane will respond
and react accordingly.
I can't stress this enough,
mainly when we're gonna have
the gear inside an actual aircraft.
Ready? One, two...
- His legs are in.
- Thanks, guys.
One of these days, I'm gonna
to learn that super cobra twist
and you are never gonna lose me again.
It still gets to you, huh?
One day it won't.
Yeah.
One day it won't.
Okay, let's hear the scores.
Accuracy point ratios have increased.
For Bruce.
- Ishiro in the other hand...
- Yeah, yeah. Got it.
Bruce hit the most targets headings
with a deviation of eight degrees.
It's a major improvement.
I'm taking it too easy on the leads.
Sandy, Freddie, get back in the booths.
We need to take one more
run in before we call HQ.
Let's go.
She ain't gonna quit.
Better hit your marks,
Sandy. We'll be here all day.
Don't worry about me.
You grabbed the stick, huh?
I thought you took the hand off.
Well the other one still works, so...
Look man, it's just a machine.
Okay. It's like this wheelchair.
This monstrosity that won't
let me climb a flight of stairs,
or mow my lawn, or get on an airplane.
But when I put the
helmet on, that all fades.
Frees up my mind, I forget all about it.
So it's mind over matter?
I'm saying you're in box flying
a child's toy with your mind.
So, if that's not supposed to be fun,
I don't know what it is. Have fun.
All right. Have fun.
Have fun, man.
Your call could not be
completed as dialed.
Your call could not be completed...
Cell phones don't work. I can't call out.
Maybe the wind knocked down the IP04.
I need to call Arlington for
the morning status report.
- You have reception?
- One bar.
Your call cannot be completed...
Call can't be completed at this time.
It doesn't sound like a reception issue.
All right, cell phones are
messed up. Check the IP04.
The asterisk is configured properly.
So why won't it work?
I honestly don't know yet.
Freddie. Look.
Where's it coming from?
I don't know, but that might explain
why the phones aren't working.
Hello?
Hello? Dad?
- Emma... been trying...
- Hello?
- to reach you...
- Dad! I can't hear you.
- Hello?
- ...four hours.
- Talk... border...
- Dad, I can't hear you!
- Dad?
- Major disaster.
Hello?
Freddie, can you get the phones to work?
I still don't know what the problem is.
Okay. Cell phones aren't working, okay?
Are you sure he said "major disaster?"
Yeah. Sure as hell sounded like it.
Look he's just 40 miles up the road.
I got to go check in on him.
Where is she going?
There might be a problem at
Gaira and the phones are down.
What are you mean they're down?
Cell phone signals are jammed and
I can't get a line out on the IP04.
Wait. So we have no
communications right now?
Look, Emma. Whatever it is, I'm
sure he's got it under control.
You can't leave, we need you here.
- If it's nothing, it's nothing.
- Yeah,
- but it's never nothing between you two.
- He still my dad, Bruce.
I'll be right back.
Come on.
Are you freaking kidding me?
Hey!
Hey!
- Help you, ma'am?
- Yeah.
My truck just seized up for no reason.
Love to help. Been without
any power since last night.
Okay, well...
Do you know where the next gas station is?
I really just need to get back to my truck.
What's happening?
Oh, Jesus.
- What is happening?
- No, no, no. Don't touch.
I'm sorry. I gotta go.
We're compiling our reports from the
past 96 hours and sending it them all in.
We want every agency to be
on the same page as we are.
Emma.
What are you doing here?
Dad, I came to check on you.
I got your call something
about a major disaster.
And then the sky was filled with smoke.
It's coming from Palmdale.
62% of the entire country
is in a total blackout
with power outages
lasting now over ten hours.
I know, I try to call you
back but phones are down,
cell service is out,
freeways are already jammed,
it took me forever to get here.
What's happening?
Three near Earth objects
made impact last night.
We were tracking it before they landed.
Wait. Hold on. So three asteroids...
Meteorites.
Meteorites came down and made impact with
electrical power grids at the same time?
Well, one after another.
So we're in the dark no
matter how you look at it.
Ben. FAA has just grounded all flights.
Air traffic is completely restricted.
- She's here to help us.
- You heard about the Neo strikes?
So that's all it takes to
block out half the country.
But when you put that much electricity
and you put that all in the transformers...
Poof. Domino effect begins.
It could be weeks before
they fix the problem.
Yeah. It could take months before we
even find it at all, never mind fix it.
Okay. Please tell me there's an explanation
why your rocks hit those stations.
There's always an explanation.
I'm just gonna have to go down
and find out exactly what that is.
All the agencies are mobilizing
now on the impact site.
It's my turn to go down
there and take a look.
Okay. Uh, can I borrow your phone?
I need to call Arlington,
I haven't checked in today.
Maybe they could shed some
light onto what's happening.
- Sure.
- Landlines are still working, right?
Yeah. It's in my office.
We can use my phone there.
Electricity was just
shooting from the ground.
You know, it was coming from
everywhere. And then the truck just...
it just started up again.
Then I came straight here.
Why did you get back in? It's a metal box.
There could've been more of them.
Why were you at Victorville anyway?
We're in the next phase.
Hmm. So that brain plane actually works?
Yeah, Dad. My program actually works.
It's DARPA'S program,
they're the ones funding it.
For what reasons, still unclear to me.
Really? Three meteors have hit the
earth and you want to do this now?
This is why we don't talk.
It never changes with you.
Oh.
So this is why we don't talk?
And all this time I thought it was
just 'cause I was a bitter old man.
How long are you gonna
throw that in my face?
Hey, they're your words, not mine.
Yeah and I believe I also said that
I wanted you to be a part of it.
I don't know, I guess I keep
thinking that you might at least be...
a little bit proud of
what I'm trying to do.
Emma, what you're trying to do
isn't what DARPA really wants.
They have no intentions on using
that technology the way you intended.
- Look, Dad.
- What you're doing is great work.
But there will never be a plane
with that technology inside of it.
You know what? It's obvious that you
and I still can't be in the same room
without fighting.
Look.
I just want to help. We can work together
to get you through with what happened.
I'm not talking about
the crash with you again.
Stop.
I have tried to you
help, time and time again.
And yet you have not once offered to
come see what I've been developing.
Not even shown an interest
in testing out the prototype.
- Just to see what it can do for a person.
- Emma. Please.
You were a much better
pilot than I ever was.
That is the closest I
ever want to come to death.
I'm not getting into a cockpit again.
Listen.
You think I quit driving because
I ran off the freeway off-ramp?
What's wrong with you?
I'm sorry. It was a bad example. Okay?
Emma. Please.
Don't you ever think, just
once about going back...
No.
I'm in phase 2 of the NeuroJet program.
That's what I'm thinking about right now.
DARPA has plenty of eggheads to
build the government their toys.
How many women do you know
flew with the Blue Angels, huh?
You were the first to fly a Hornet.
Well I'm sorry you can't live
vicariously through me anymore.
The phone's in there.
I'm gonna to be in the Equatorial
board room when you need me.
- You get through all right?
- Yeah.
DARPA is extracting us first thing
tomorrow morning in case it's something big.
I have to get back to my team.
Good. Well, thanks for checking in on me.
I really appreciate it.
Yeah.
Take care.
I'm glad you're okay.
Dad?
Yes, sweetheart?
Be careful out there?
I assure you there's no little
green men coming from Planet X,
to come down here and attack
us. I'll exercise caution, okay?
I'll call you when I get home,
if the phones are back up by then.
Okay.
Hey Emma, where were you?
Is everything okay?
The comms have been
going in and out all day.
But we've been hearing about
some crazy stuff going down.
- That smoke...
- Start packing.
I reached HQ. We're going home.
We are?
I guess so.
This area is off limits.
Good.
That's what I want to hear.
I'm Ben, from the observatory.
I need to get samples from that rock.
First one here.
Oh. It'll be busy soon enough.
What are they chasing up there?
Can anyone tell what it is?
I can't.
Whoa.
Just got a major head rush all of a sudden.
I think I need to have a seat.
Holy crap.
There's always an explanation.
Ishiro wear the helmet.
Look up.
Oh. Did you guys see that?
Oh no, no, no, no!
Blew them all up.
The planes. The chopper.
Like they were nothing.
What did it do to us?
You felt it. We all felt it, right?
Emma, what did I just see?
Why did it slow down like that?
Slow down? What are you talking about?
What I looked at it, I
got dizzy. Then nauseous.
But when I looked away...
This sick feeling subsided.
- Yeah.
- That's right.
And the longer I looked at
it, the harder it was to see.
Whatever it was that was flying over us.
I had a sudden urge to puke.
I felt the exact same sensation.
The wooziness. The intense headache.
But not when I had the helmet on.
All of it only when I took it off.
I have seen fighters maneuver like
that in the air like that before.
They were wildly over correcting
because they couldn't see clearly.
So they had the same symptoms we had?
What the hell is that? Some
sort of defense mechanism?
How are we ever going to hit it
with a weapon if we can't see it?
Whatever it is I think that
the helmet renders it obsolete.
Maybe it prevents the receptors
in the brain from flaring up
when it is engaged with the Nero software.
I'm going to pack up the helmet.
We need this gear in tact.
- I'm telling you, this is a coordinated attack.
- We have to go.
Leave anything behind we don't need.
The electronics are stored. We just
need to pack up the rest and load 'em up.
And then where are we headed?
Guys, and then where are we headed?
I came running the minute
I heard the commotion.
Are you okay?
Jesus Christ.
What was that?
I need samples of that meteorite
to take back to my observatory immediately.
Nobody gave me a heads
up on this, all right?
I'm going to need to call it in.
Wait a minute?
Did you see what crawled
out of that goddamn ground?
And you think the meteorite
had something to do with it?
What do you say we go find out.
Well, could it be from
the underground reservoir?
What underground reservoir?
It's underneath. The researchers
found it from Antelope Valley College.
They found it back in 2015.
Well, how far down does ago?
I don't know. A few thousand feet?
They haven't touched
it. They left it alone.
They think the water is contaminated
by the gas and oil from drilling.
Huh?
Oh, hell.
You might be onto something.
Thanks for your help.
I gotta go.
Fortunately, God loves the Marines.
As you guessed it, GPS is useless.
But look what I found.
Your dad's in LA.
We're only about an hour
and a half out from there.
No. National Guard probably
already has the city shutdown.
No one is going in.
Besides, we need to go somewhere
where we can do some real damage.
And what did you have in mind?
Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.
- Tucson? As in Arizona?
- Mm-hmm.
SoCal Logistics airport is right here
in Victorville. It's like 10 miles out.
Yeah. Why don't we go there first and
let somebody know what's happening?
We can fly out from there to
get to Tucson. That'll be faster.
And end end up like the Helo?
No, we stay on the roads, okay?
That's the best shot we
have at staying in one piece.
Emma, why are we going to DMA?
Because we may just have found
the only way to kill this thing
and we're going to put it to use.
- Are you serious?
- For real?
We're actually going to put
the tech in a real plane?
Yeah.
Emma, I don't know if that's
possible and neither do you.
We might actually have
a shot at this, Bruce.
We're moving into phase two now.
Okay? Before everything
around us burns to the ground.
Let's get this show on
the road and head out.
Emma, wait.
Hey, wait.
Look, driving there is
going to take much longer.
Look, you gotta to get that
crash outta your head now.
You're letting it affect
our whole fate just because
you're still afraid to
get into another airplane.
You saw what happened
to our airlift, right?
We get in the air, we put our lives
and the Neuro tech in jeopardy.
- That is a risk I am not willing to take.
- No. That's not why.
But you can keep telling yourself
that while we waste valuable time.
- Is that it? You got it?
- Yeah.
Here.
Prep some slides.
Uh, you okay?
I'll be fine. I just...
I'll get a little cleaned up.
Just prep some slides and
bring it into my office.
And listen... if you know someone,
if you need to go someplace, go.
Get out of here.
How bad is it?
It's bad. It's a complete
nightmare out there.
There's roadblocks everywhere
but you should be able to get
through with those credentials.
Everything I've been hearing,
sounds like it's safer to stay.
I guess.
I, uh...
There's no one waiting at home. I'll stay.
Thanks.
So we're already in Joshua Tree, right?
Then we just hop on the 62 East
and we're on our way.
Yeah, it looks like we're about
it's six hours out of Tucson.
So why don't you ever
want to talk about it?
About what?
About the crash.
Why are you bringing that up now?
Because of where we're going.
Look you can lose your
patience with me are you want,
but as long as we've been working together,
it's a topic you never want to discuss.
And why can't you respect that?
Why can you just let it go?
Do I ask you all the time what
it feels like to be paralyzed
over and over and over again?
Well, it really only happened the one time.
Anything after that is just overkill.
And I wouldn't really feel it anyway.
That's kind of how paralysis
works. You know what I mean?
You're an idiot. You know that?
To tell you the truth, I think
I'm doing more good outside
of the plane than when I was in one.
Okay, but I guess I'm just trying
to say that if you ever want to get
something off your chest, I'm here for you.
Anytime.
I'll take a piss now.
Hey!
Forgot something.
I don't need both hands to hold it.
That small, huh?
Well.
Freddie, we ready?
Tank's full. Just waiting on
Ishi to finish emptying his.
So where does something
that big go to hide?
I mean, he's got to sleep right?
That thing just landed back there.
We know next to nothing
about that organism.
And we're finding ourselves
in the place to gain some...
High valued information.
Are you nuts?
Where are you going?
You have to stay here and watch the gear.
Are you kidding me, Emma?
I can't...
All right. All of you. Listen to me.
If the helmet is really the only way
we can see this thing in real time
and if there is any hope of us building
out this tech outside a real fighter jet,
we're to need all the Intel
we can get to convince them
to give us even one
plane to fight that thing.
Now I'm going to go get it.
Whoever wants to stay behind, fine.
Any problems you call me.
Em, wait up.
Coming with you.
You're not...
Come on, man.
Hmm.
I'm proud of you, Em.
I've taken samples from the
fusion crest, the mantle,
and inside near the core areas.
Hmm.
Which sample is this one?
Oh, that's from the mantle.
Let's check it out and take a look.
Hmm.
I'm getting elemental and isotopic
compositions consistent with Martian origin.
- We got an SNC here?
- I think.
I mean, these are some of the most
complex organisms I've ever seen.
Or never seen to be honest with you. I...
What?
Jesus.
Jesus Christ, what the
hell has landed here?
Sounds like came from over there.
Okay, am I the only one who's thinking
maybe this is not such a great idea.
We have to stick together now. You
should have said something at the truck.
Okay? And why can't I turn around and go?
Because if it sees you, it could
put the rest of us in danger.
How the hell do you know that?
Do you see anything coming after us yet?
Not yet.
It's okay. I only needed to
be faster than a couple you.
Huh? Don't get it twisted.
Three legs are faster than two and I
know how to work these things, sweetheart.
Yeah. We'll just go out to the
desert and leave him in the truck.
Sit on his ass.
Oh but she left me the keys.
You know in case that thing attacks,
I'll just jump behind the
wheel and save the day.
I'm talking to myself.
It looks like this is
where the trail leads.
The other specimens have been
retrieved from the impact sites
and already en route
to Johnson and Langley.
Seventeen years in the field, and
this is unlike anything I've ever seen.
It wasn't a rock, it was a lifeform.
That's consistent with the reports we've
been getting from the other crash sites.
What happened?
News travels here real
slow since the grid failed.
The stories from witnesses
were unbelievable.
A monster shooting
something from its mouth.
Some kind of cave here.
Uh, this looks like blood.
I don't know what else that could be.
Well this definitely leads
underground all right.
Well if it's bleeding
nearby, then where is it?
Well, we've come this far.
Is this actual water?
In the desert?
We're walking over hundreds
of fault zones out here,
and years of broken rock fragments.
Every time they shift,
they force the ground water to rise up.
There's more blood.
Guy, guys, guys.
Shh.
Everybody be very quiet.
How does something like
that growth that big?
You almost have to admire at the
biological marvel of such a thing.
Relax. It doesn't know that we're here.
I'm not feeling any of
the strange side effects.
I was correct,
the flaring is a self defense
mechanism when it's under attack.
Emma, look at its wings.
The water is healing its damage.
I think it cut itself when
he's speared into our aircraft.
Now we know where all that
blood's been coming from.
We done here?
Shh! Be quiet.
No. Emma. Emma stop. Don't poke it.
- Don't. Don't.
- Shh!
Now you've done it.
What is that, blood?
I don't know.
Get out. Get out. Get out.
Go, go, go, go, go, go.
It knows we're here now, Ishi!
The helmet.
No.
No. Don't come this way.
- Oh!
- Oh, hey. You're back.
How's it going?
Are you all right?
Oh by the way, whatever
you did to piss it off,
sent it coming my way.
You okay?
I don't think I've ever been
that scared before in my life.
Give me your shoe.
- Huh?
- Your shoe.
Take it off, give it to me.
No, no, the left one.
All right. Everybody get in.
Hey let's roll out before...
we run into that thing a second time.
Oh, now she cares.
What's with the shoe?
He stepped into something.
- Can I help you?
- My name is Emma Harper.
I'm with the defense Advance
Research Project Agency
and I need to speak to
your base commander now.
Regarding?
We have the technology
to fight these monsters
and save the future of civilization.
Our forces have been
largely ineffective too slow
much less eradicate this threat up to now.
These monsters are causing
untold levels of destruction.
Now for what you're saying is true,
We may need to consider unprecedented
options never used before on American soil.
We have a solution to that problem.
- What is that?
- It's a Neuro helmet.
The reason your pilots can't hit
this thing is because this creature
emits a frequency that makes the brain
think it's moving much faster than it is.
So it's messing with their heads?
But our helmet's muted.
Who are you people again?
We're from DARPA.
- And who sent you here?
- No one sent is here.
We've seen this thing up close.
It's large, powerful, and...
extremely pissed off.
Comm squadrons have been working overtime
trying to maintain an open
line with the outside world.
Problem is the outside world
keeps losing more power.
Damn near close to relying
on ham radios around here.
That may be their intentions, sir.
And who are "they" exactly?
Our computer and phone
networks may be crapping out,
but what I'm hearing everyone's
spooked over some Pulgasari
rampaging through Los Angeles.
There's been a sighting
north of here and in Texas.
So that's three confirmed
in the United States already.
And what about the rest of the world?
As of now, no other confirmed sightings
anywhere but in the United States.
There're more coming. A lot more.
And why is that?
I think we've located one of
their nests in Joshua Tree.
It had been bleeding from
when it rammed into our Helo.
But what we found in the blood,
clusters of spores,
egg sacks.
They opened up.
Things crawled out.
Things?
Like a black slime and ooze.
Formed into a solid organism
shortly after being birthed.
Ishiro stepped on one of them.
It sort of sounded like a jelly.
And then it forms into a worm some kind.
I don't know how you got onto my base,
- But get this shoe off...
- Damn it!
If I'm right,
this problem is about to
get exponentially worse.
So how do you propose we
stop that from happening?
Incendiary tipped payloads.
High explosive incendiaries
should kill those things
and destroy the spores
with extreme temperatures.
I'll take that under advisement.
We need a plane.
You need a plane?
The helmet doesn't just dampen the flaring.
It was designed to fly an
airplane with the power of thought.
- Lady, I don't have time for this.
- It will work.
We've been developing it at
DARPA for the past three years.
All we need is put it inside
and operational aircraft.
Please. You need to believe me.
This Neuro program of yours,
you really think it'll
fly one of these planes?
We just need to find one that's
going accommodate the hardware.
This is AMARG. The Aerospace
Maintenance and Regeneration Group.
The largest military aircraft
boneyard in the world.
Everything is laid out by "type."
Over there are the 1000's,
those are deemed inviolate,
no parts have been removed,
they are your best bet
for getting up in the air quickest.
Those are the 3000s, maintained in
flyable condition for temporary storage.
Also a good place to look.
And then you have the 2000's,
That's all the aircraft
we keep around for parts
for other working aircraft.
You're welcome to
whatever you need in there.
What about those?
Just take your pick.
My team will lead the first attack
as the first wave of fighters.
Hit it with enough fire power to wound it,
even out the playing field for
your pilots to come in and clean up.
These are seasoned veterans with
thousands of hours of experience.
Ishi over here flew F-16's with
the D.C. Air National Guard.
And Sandy, trained with
the Naval Air Station
where she flew Skyhawks.
- Bruce...
- Ended up on this chair
after a close fly over
Northwest of Baghdad in 2006.
My apologies.
With all due respect sir,
I don't need your apology.
What we need now is a vote of confidence.
Sir. We lost three pilots
of the Eastern Squadron.
Ground forces are depleted.
Waiting on a sitrep.
What is it? What's happening?
You're a go.
When can you have these
fighters in the sky?
We have all the space we'll need to
accommodate all the Nero tech gear
we'll need to fit inside.
Bastards won't know what hit 'em.
All right. Guys, don't start
high-fiving each other just yet.
The entire interior has over 30,000
electrical parts and over 14 miles of wiring.
And now we need to compress
all of that data management
and operation into one pilot,
who's not gonna flip one switch with
anything more than power of thought.
We got a lot of work ahead of us.
So let's get to work.
What about you Miss Harper?
What are your credentials?
1700 flight hours and 208
carrier arrest landings.
Deployed at the USS Harry Truman with
strike fighters, squadron three seven.
Raging Bulls. My oldest
is stationed at NAS Oceana.
Harper. Emma.
First woman at the stick of the Hornet
for the Blue Angels.
That's what they keep telling me, sir.
Impressive. Now you're innovating
our fleet for the modern age.
A lot of men and women want
to fight for their country
but are unable to do so because
they lack the use of their limbs.
I think that's a little short-sighted.
Well we're privileged to have you.
Thanks. Now if we may,
we've got a nest filled spores in
Joshua Tree that need to be wiped out.
After picking up samples
NASA HQ issued an alert.
Apparently one of these
things had babies of some kind.
- Babies? It gave birth?
- That's what they're saying.
Apparently it starts as some black ooze and
it evolves into living reacting organism.
And another thing...
The military has a new plan
for trying to beat these things.
They're teaming up with DARPA.
They're working on a new plane.
What? Where?
Tucson, Arizona. Emma is
finally getting her chance.
Maybe they can use a guy like you.
Maybe you for gotten how long
it's been since I've flown.
So it's the kind of thing
someone forgets how to do?
I figured someone with so many awards
and medals, it's like riding a bike.
You've never been inside
the cockpit of a plane.
And besides, the technology's changed
considerably since I've flown. It's...
That's true but Emma designed it.
I'm sure she'd be willing
to teach you how to use it.
- I don't think I'm...
- You don't need to think.
You just have to go.
All right, gang, this is for real.
This is not a competition.
Although, whoever shows me the
best score takes first plane up.
Copy that.
I'll show you competition.
Bring it on, Sandy.
Ishi I need you to clear
your head right now.
Show me you can think only about the plane.
Concentrate. Only on your command.
What is he doing?
How did that feel?
Like I was actually
flying the plane for the first time.
All I needed to do was piss him off.
All right team. Let's reset. Back to one.
I see you're still making friends, huh?
Dad!
- What are you doing here?
- Hi, sweetheart.
I came to see you.
Now, how are you going to fight
those things with that, huh?
You said you're making a brain plane,
I'd imagine something a little bigger.
Ha. Cute.
Seriously, what are you doing here?
You drove all the way
out here from Crestline?
I came out here to see you.
Well, welcome to Project Neuro.
This is what I've been working on.
This is Freddie. he's one
of my engineers and a pilot.
Freddie Young. Marine Corps,
3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.
Ben Robbins.
Call me Ben.
Emma here tells us you were
a pilot with the Air Force.
Oh, yeah. 95th Fighter
Squad based out of Tyndall.
- Badass.
- Well, we like to think so.
Don't get him started. You're
gonna hear war stories all night.
Eh. So. These little
boxes look a little tight.
I mean, they're a little snug, huh?
They were developed based
upon the cockpit dimensions
of every Century Series aircraft.
Come on. Let me show you around.
All right.
All of that stuff out
there is going in there.
Wow.
We're going around the clock
to retrofit all of them,
but this one in front
of you will be the first.
We need to get one up in
the air as fast as possible.
This is amazing.
I mean, this is absolutely incredible.
Word had gotten around that
you were building a plane. Huh.
The brain plane.
Well, I couldn't stand by
while the world was burning
and you were conquering it all on your own.
I'm sorry.
I should've been more supportive.
- Dad, look it's...
- No, please. Just...
I've been in denial.
I know why you did this. I understand.
After your crash,
you actually had a chance
to come back and pursue this.
But I wanted you to join the
stunt team for a couple of reasons.
- And those were?
- Well...
I wanted to see you back in a plane.
And I was too scared to
ever get back in one myself.
After my car accident,
then your mother died.
I started feeling bouts of
depression, paranoia, claustrophobia.
I couldn't even get into an elevator.
I've been seeing a therapist for years.
Years?
Dad. You could have told me something.
But while I couldn't
even imagine flying again.
I missed it. Emma, I really missed it.
And after seeing you up there,
you're right.
I was reliving it. All through you. Again.
When you walked away and
devoted your time to this,
I wanted to discourage you.
Because, well...
I just couldn't imagine
seeing you not fly again.
Me not flying again.
But... I think I'm ready now.
Thank you.
Oh, baby.
Thank you, Dad.
And I'm gonna help you every
step of the way. I promise.
Just relax, Dad.
Focus all your thoughts
on doing simple maneuvers.
Okay.
All right, Dad.
The drone is hooked in.
It's all up to you now.
Just relax. Clear your head.
Sit perfectly still.
And when you're ready, I
want you to say out loud,
"Forward throttle."
Forward throttle.
That's okay, Dad.
Just focus on what you
want the plane to do.
Then say it out loud.
Forward throttle.
Stay on my tail.
Accuracy is important.
And efficiency of control.
This isn't working.
He's having a really hard time.
I can't control the stick.
This isn't doing what I wanted to do.
Because you're not
concentrating hard enough.
Dad, maybe you're not ready for this.
I don't want to rush you.
We don't have a choice.
- I'll tighten up. I...
- Can I make a suggestion?
Please.
Forget about trying to keep up. Okay.
Forget about the scores.
Forget about all that.
Just do what comes to you naturally.
You're a pilot.
I know you haven't flown a plane in years.
But none of that matters.
You'll always be a pilot.
Just pretend like you're back
in that F-22 raptor in Tyndall.
And you're taking her out for a ride.
Forward throttle.
Bank left, twenty degrees.
He's really getting the hang of it now.
Whatever she did must have worked.
Hey, you're doing great.
Let's put you through
some precision exercises.
Go for it.
Now go to 800 feet
and give me a roll.
Okay, now I want you
to go to 1100 feet AGL.
Hold it for a count of five.
Then dive down to 900 and
give me a figure-eight.
Whoo!
Wow.
Congratulations, sir.
You did great.
Thank you, sweetheart.
Well, you scored higher
than anyone on this team
- for their first flight.
- Wow.
Frankly, they're unprecedented, sir.
I mean, your scores are better than
ours on many advanced exercises.
Well it was my first time, I guess
you can just call it beginner's luck.
Your numbers are now the team record.
Congratulations!
Wow. Really?
I was like being back there again.
The situation has grown more dire.
We have reports of mass casualties
from Texas from some kind of poisoning.
The only explanation we have
from anyone down there is that
it's coming from the creature.
You mean it's emanating some kind of toxin?
This thing is leaving a trail
of pollution in its wake.
The CDC has detected highly toxic
levels of... this is a quote...
"A lethal mix of benzene, toluene,
ethylbenzene, and xylene, hydrogen sulfide,
and sulfur dioxide.
Radiating from the body."
Heading?
There's sighting due South.
Our estimates have it
moving towards Dallas.
Harper.
This crisis is continuing to escalate.
I hope your team's ready.
All available manpower is being
dedicated in getting that first plane up.
We're running out of time.
We need to make a decision.
I think we'd all like to volunteer.
But we've never seen scores
like your dad's before.
He's only been in the booth once.
- He's not ready.
- I completely disagree.
I mean, I think he's going to continue
to surprise us with his capabilities.
We don't have the time to train him.
Okay. Then we start. Now. Today.
We don't have luxury to
argue over this, Emma.
Everyday that we wait is a day we lose.
- You gotta make a decision.
- Think about it.
You've made yourself at home.
Ah. The medical squad was kind
enough to lend me some gear.
The hatchlings share chemical and
biological traits with the meteorites.
Strange and specific elements.
Now that brought me to the NASA archives.
Evidently the Russians had sent
a probe to Mars back in the 70s.
One of them landed successfully.
And?
The report claims that Mars identified
nearly three identical examples.
They called it the "Larga."
Now, the Russians weren't about
to share this intelligence with us.
But eventually, one of our
agencies got a hold of it,
and when they put it in a
file and they sealed it away.
God. Nothing would end Space Race
faster than the public finding out
that there are monsters waiting out there.
That would be my guess.
The specimens have hatched
in different locations.
I'd say population
seems to be their intent.
I guess my only question
is, why did they leave Mars?
Uh, Dad.
The situation has intensified.
We've been ordered to put all
our efforts into getting that
first plane into the battle field.
And...
The team feels that you should
be the one to take her out.
I don't understand.
They think that you're our best
chance at winning this fight.
Wait. I...
I said I wanted to fight but I
didn't think I'd be the first to go.
I mean, well... frankly I'm...
I'm honored.
We're not gonna have any time
to prepare you for this, Dad.
I'm gonna have to devise a crash course
regiment that's woefully under prepared...
Emma. I have flown planes half of my life.
I've been sitting in this chair too long.
Now you're giving me a chance to
go back up and do something right.
Yeah, you can count on me.
Major.
Lieutenant.
It's like you never left.
It feels that way as well.
The president has authorized
Operation Monster Zero.
We're here to support
and ready to mobilize.
Godspeed.
Good luck.
Godspeed.
Open a channel to POTUS at site R.
Here you go, sir.
God, I hope it lifts off.
Forward throttle.
Neuro One turning southbound,
altitude of one six-thousand.
Strategic Air Command
forces are now at DEFCON Two.
Ready to go.
Neuro One. You are ready to engage.
I repeat, ready to engage.
Target is in flight, I need support.
This thing is ginormous!
Neuro One. Air
support is on its way.
Maintain visual contact until
it arrives. Be ready to engage.
Right behind you, Neuro One.
Locked and loaded.
Focus on the blur
and fire when ready.
We'll aim for your target.
It's down!
The first one is down! Repeat.
The first one is down!
Whoa!
Mayday! Mayday! I've been hit.
It's not dead. I've lost visual.
Neuro One, say again?
Neuro One, come again?
Neuro One, say again?
Neuro One, come again?
Neuro One, do you read?
Neuro One?
Dad?
Emma.
Are you okay?
I'm fine. I'll be right back.
I can't look at this right now.
I hope these monsters bleed to death.
He's fine. He's fine. He's fine.
Did he call? Did he call in yet?
We need to debrief the President.
And tell him what? That our
first plane is already missing?
You can start with an ETA on
getting your other two planes up.
Sir, I'm getting a signal.
Incoming aircraft entering Bravo airspace.
You sure it's an aircraft
and not one of those things?
It's me, damn it! I'm coming in.
It took out everybody.
You said it went down and then
the second transmission went out.
Oh, It went down all right
and then it got right back up.
Wiped out all the F-18's
and I took shrapnel.
Well, that explains it, it
must've wiped out the antenna.
We're severely outmatched.
I mean, we can send up 10 of those
planes, and it's not going to do a thing.
We pumped high incendiaries explosives
and Hydra rockets into that son of a bitch,
and all it did was piss it off.
The second Larga was spewing out
some kind of radioactive pulse.
What about the one you saw first?
It was an energy beam.
The first Larga came out of the ground
at an electric plant in Palmdale.
And the one you saw was in Texas.
Yeah, the second crash site
was at a nuclear facility,
and the third crashed at a highly
combustible refinery near Los Angeles.
But th-that could explain the
toxic vapor it was emanating, right?
Yes. Fetch my glasses and follow me.
The Palmdale Larga was
birthed from one of the largest
electronic waste recycling
centers in the state.
Huh?
The Larga must be a product of the
environment in which it's incubated.
I need a drink.
What the hell's this?
Who put this in here?
How long's this thing been in here?
About five, ten minutes?
Huh?
We're in a jet plane hangar.
Give me some liquid nitrogen, fast.
They won't know what hit 'em.
The fridge is zero degrees Fahrenheit.
Now anything is gonna get
sluggish when it's cold.
But... look how it deteriorated
in such a short period of time.
Cold is not this creature's friend.
That's why they had to leave Mars.
Because the couldn't inhabit the cold.
That's right.
Our somewhat limited Intel
has the most recent sighting
of the first larga heading
west over Los Angeles.
The second is moving south near
the border of Arizona and Nevada.
And the third one Ben just fought off,
was last seen flying over
the Dallas Fort Worth area.
Military bases within 50 miles of
each of these locations is on standby.
Once our NeuroJets are airborne,
air support will be in these regions.
That son of a bitch must
have followed me here.
The roof!
No!
Don't move.
Ishi!
Are you okay?
I'm fine.
I'm fine.
Freddie!
Sandy!
Where are you?
Emma, come on! We gotta go, now!
We gotta get to the NeuroJets. Follow me.
They want a fight, they got it!
- Freddie!
- Let's take it to them!
Sandy!
Okay. Okay.
Think about the plane, not the commands.
I mean, commands! Not the plane.
Commands. Commands.
Oh my God.
Oh my God.
Forward throttle.
Forward throttle.
Oh my God!
It's the same behavior as the hatchlings.
They converged!
And they can come back apart.
We can't let that happen.
Our cryomissiles are limited,
us them only when you
know you've got a shot.
I've got it! I found the target!
- Where is it, Emma?
- Dad! Listen to me.
On my mark, I want you and Ishiro
to aim the full payload at its chest!
No-no-no. That's
not gonna do much...
Just fire on my mark!
Okay.
Copy that.
No!
Ishiro's been hit! He's down!
It's just you and me now, kiddo.
On my mark, standby.
Dad.
I love you.
I'm sorry I wasted so much time.
Emma! Emma, what are you doing?
Dad, fire now!
Firing now!
Its down! It's down! I got it.
Great work, kiddo!
You gave your old man a
scare there for a minute.
I'm proud of you, Emma.
Ishi?
You did it, honey.
We all did it. Together.
Ishiro was a good pilot
and damn good fighter.
I'll miss him.
If that offer's still good,
I'd like to take you up on it.
We can always use you on the team.
Picking up three near Earth
objects moving South by Southwest.
Calculating size estimates now.
Meteor class maintaining
mass through descent.
Hmm. They're coming right at us.
Trajectory estimates on our bogeys?
Holding steady through thermosphere entry.
All right, monitoring
flux reduction rates now.
Hmm.
They're losing mass.
Current trajectory predictions adjusting.
Something's not right here.
They appear to be accelerating.
What do you think?
We have stratosphere entry.
Yeah, but they're moving at such
an exponentially high rate of speed
for their size and velocity.
It doesn't make sense.
Maybe a wild current
caught them upon entry?
Yeah. Maybe.
But at their present mass, they just
shouldn't be moving this quickly.
Hmm.
Heading northwest. 20 degrees.
I'm right behind you, Bruce.
Stay tight, guys.
Rising up to 400 AGL.
Roger that. Moving into position.
Okay fellas, let's nail this thing
and give the gang back home
something to smile about.
On my mark...
Three,
Two,
One...
Mark.
Emma ain't taking it easy on 'em today.
Mm-mmm.
I'm losing Neuro engagement.
Crap.
Crap.
Ishiro!
Use your head, not your body!
I need you thinking the commands,
not pantomiming them!
Ishiro's down and out.
They're my last two.
Mmm.
You bet on the wrong horse again.
He's not getting better,
he's getting worse.
Can I have the other one?
No.
And then there were two.
Not for long, Bruce.
And there it is.
She couldn't shake him,
so she let the cobra loose.
Whoo!
Bruce is getting the hang of it.
He's been keeping up
with her for a while now.
What's getting to you up there?
Your not committing because
you're not concentrating.
How many times do I have to say it?
Let the plane do the work.
I am concentrating. I'm
focusing on the plane...
Just stop thinking about the plane.
Think about the commands.
Okay? The plane will respond
and react accordingly.
I can't stress this enough,
mainly when we're gonna have
the gear inside an actual aircraft.
Ready? One, two...
- His legs are in.
- Thanks, guys.
One of these days, I'm gonna
to learn that super cobra twist
and you are never gonna lose me again.
It still gets to you, huh?
One day it won't.
Yeah.
One day it won't.
Okay, let's hear the scores.
Accuracy point ratios have increased.
For Bruce.
- Ishiro in the other hand...
- Yeah, yeah. Got it.
Bruce hit the most targets headings
with a deviation of eight degrees.
It's a major improvement.
I'm taking it too easy on the leads.
Sandy, Freddie, get back in the booths.
We need to take one more
run in before we call HQ.
Let's go.
She ain't gonna quit.
Better hit your marks,
Sandy. We'll be here all day.
Don't worry about me.
You grabbed the stick, huh?
I thought you took the hand off.
Well the other one still works, so...
Look man, it's just a machine.
Okay. It's like this wheelchair.
This monstrosity that won't
let me climb a flight of stairs,
or mow my lawn, or get on an airplane.
But when I put the
helmet on, that all fades.
Frees up my mind, I forget all about it.
So it's mind over matter?
I'm saying you're in box flying
a child's toy with your mind.
So, if that's not supposed to be fun,
I don't know what it is. Have fun.
All right. Have fun.
Have fun, man.
Your call could not be
completed as dialed.
Your call could not be completed...
Cell phones don't work. I can't call out.
Maybe the wind knocked down the IP04.
I need to call Arlington for
the morning status report.
- You have reception?
- One bar.
Your call cannot be completed...
Call can't be completed at this time.
It doesn't sound like a reception issue.
All right, cell phones are
messed up. Check the IP04.
The asterisk is configured properly.
So why won't it work?
I honestly don't know yet.
Freddie. Look.
Where's it coming from?
I don't know, but that might explain
why the phones aren't working.
Hello?
Hello? Dad?
- Emma... been trying...
- Hello?
- to reach you...
- Dad! I can't hear you.
- Hello?
- ...four hours.
- Talk... border...
- Dad, I can't hear you!
- Dad?
- Major disaster.
Hello?
Freddie, can you get the phones to work?
I still don't know what the problem is.
Okay. Cell phones aren't working, okay?
Are you sure he said "major disaster?"
Yeah. Sure as hell sounded like it.
Look he's just 40 miles up the road.
I got to go check in on him.
Where is she going?
There might be a problem at
Gaira and the phones are down.
What are you mean they're down?
Cell phone signals are jammed and
I can't get a line out on the IP04.
Wait. So we have no
communications right now?
Look, Emma. Whatever it is, I'm
sure he's got it under control.
You can't leave, we need you here.
- If it's nothing, it's nothing.
- Yeah,
- but it's never nothing between you two.
- He still my dad, Bruce.
I'll be right back.
Come on.
Are you freaking kidding me?
Hey!
Hey!
- Help you, ma'am?
- Yeah.
My truck just seized up for no reason.
Love to help. Been without
any power since last night.
Okay, well...
Do you know where the next gas station is?
I really just need to get back to my truck.
What's happening?
Oh, Jesus.
- What is happening?
- No, no, no. Don't touch.
I'm sorry. I gotta go.
We're compiling our reports from the
past 96 hours and sending it them all in.
We want every agency to be
on the same page as we are.
Emma.
What are you doing here?
Dad, I came to check on you.
I got your call something
about a major disaster.
And then the sky was filled with smoke.
It's coming from Palmdale.
62% of the entire country
is in a total blackout
with power outages
lasting now over ten hours.
I know, I try to call you
back but phones are down,
cell service is out,
freeways are already jammed,
it took me forever to get here.
What's happening?
Three near Earth objects
made impact last night.
We were tracking it before they landed.
Wait. Hold on. So three asteroids...
Meteorites.
Meteorites came down and made impact with
electrical power grids at the same time?
Well, one after another.
So we're in the dark no
matter how you look at it.
Ben. FAA has just grounded all flights.
Air traffic is completely restricted.
- She's here to help us.
- You heard about the Neo strikes?
So that's all it takes to
block out half the country.
But when you put that much electricity
and you put that all in the transformers...
Poof. Domino effect begins.
It could be weeks before
they fix the problem.
Yeah. It could take months before we
even find it at all, never mind fix it.
Okay. Please tell me there's an explanation
why your rocks hit those stations.
There's always an explanation.
I'm just gonna have to go down
and find out exactly what that is.
All the agencies are mobilizing
now on the impact site.
It's my turn to go down
there and take a look.
Okay. Uh, can I borrow your phone?
I need to call Arlington,
I haven't checked in today.
Maybe they could shed some
light onto what's happening.
- Sure.
- Landlines are still working, right?
Yeah. It's in my office.
We can use my phone there.
Electricity was just
shooting from the ground.
You know, it was coming from
everywhere. And then the truck just...
it just started up again.
Then I came straight here.
Why did you get back in? It's a metal box.
There could've been more of them.
Why were you at Victorville anyway?
We're in the next phase.
Hmm. So that brain plane actually works?
Yeah, Dad. My program actually works.
It's DARPA'S program,
they're the ones funding it.
For what reasons, still unclear to me.
Really? Three meteors have hit the
earth and you want to do this now?
This is why we don't talk.
It never changes with you.
Oh.
So this is why we don't talk?
And all this time I thought it was
just 'cause I was a bitter old man.
How long are you gonna
throw that in my face?
Hey, they're your words, not mine.
Yeah and I believe I also said that
I wanted you to be a part of it.
I don't know, I guess I keep
thinking that you might at least be...
a little bit proud of
what I'm trying to do.
Emma, what you're trying to do
isn't what DARPA really wants.
They have no intentions on using
that technology the way you intended.
- Look, Dad.
- What you're doing is great work.
But there will never be a plane
with that technology inside of it.
You know what? It's obvious that you
and I still can't be in the same room
without fighting.
Look.
I just want to help. We can work together
to get you through with what happened.
I'm not talking about
the crash with you again.
Stop.
I have tried to you
help, time and time again.
And yet you have not once offered to
come see what I've been developing.
Not even shown an interest
in testing out the prototype.
- Just to see what it can do for a person.
- Emma. Please.
You were a much better
pilot than I ever was.
That is the closest I
ever want to come to death.
I'm not getting into a cockpit again.
Listen.
You think I quit driving because
I ran off the freeway off-ramp?
What's wrong with you?
I'm sorry. It was a bad example. Okay?
Emma. Please.
Don't you ever think, just
once about going back...
No.
I'm in phase 2 of the NeuroJet program.
That's what I'm thinking about right now.
DARPA has plenty of eggheads to
build the government their toys.
How many women do you know
flew with the Blue Angels, huh?
You were the first to fly a Hornet.
Well I'm sorry you can't live
vicariously through me anymore.
The phone's in there.
I'm gonna to be in the Equatorial
board room when you need me.
- You get through all right?
- Yeah.
DARPA is extracting us first thing
tomorrow morning in case it's something big.
I have to get back to my team.
Good. Well, thanks for checking in on me.
I really appreciate it.
Yeah.
Take care.
I'm glad you're okay.
Dad?
Yes, sweetheart?
Be careful out there?
I assure you there's no little
green men coming from Planet X,
to come down here and attack
us. I'll exercise caution, okay?
I'll call you when I get home,
if the phones are back up by then.
Okay.
Hey Emma, where were you?
Is everything okay?
The comms have been
going in and out all day.
But we've been hearing about
some crazy stuff going down.
- That smoke...
- Start packing.
I reached HQ. We're going home.
We are?
I guess so.
This area is off limits.
Good.
That's what I want to hear.
I'm Ben, from the observatory.
I need to get samples from that rock.
First one here.
Oh. It'll be busy soon enough.
What are they chasing up there?
Can anyone tell what it is?
I can't.
Whoa.
Just got a major head rush all of a sudden.
I think I need to have a seat.
Holy crap.
There's always an explanation.
Ishiro wear the helmet.
Look up.
Oh. Did you guys see that?
Oh no, no, no, no!
Blew them all up.
The planes. The chopper.
Like they were nothing.
What did it do to us?
You felt it. We all felt it, right?
Emma, what did I just see?
Why did it slow down like that?
Slow down? What are you talking about?
What I looked at it, I
got dizzy. Then nauseous.
But when I looked away...
This sick feeling subsided.
- Yeah.
- That's right.
And the longer I looked at
it, the harder it was to see.
Whatever it was that was flying over us.
I had a sudden urge to puke.
I felt the exact same sensation.
The wooziness. The intense headache.
But not when I had the helmet on.
All of it only when I took it off.
I have seen fighters maneuver like
that in the air like that before.
They were wildly over correcting
because they couldn't see clearly.
So they had the same symptoms we had?
What the hell is that? Some
sort of defense mechanism?
How are we ever going to hit it
with a weapon if we can't see it?
Whatever it is I think that
the helmet renders it obsolete.
Maybe it prevents the receptors
in the brain from flaring up
when it is engaged with the Nero software.
I'm going to pack up the helmet.
We need this gear in tact.
- I'm telling you, this is a coordinated attack.
- We have to go.
Leave anything behind we don't need.
The electronics are stored. We just
need to pack up the rest and load 'em up.
And then where are we headed?
Guys, and then where are we headed?
I came running the minute
I heard the commotion.
Are you okay?
Jesus Christ.
What was that?
I need samples of that meteorite
to take back to my observatory immediately.
Nobody gave me a heads
up on this, all right?
I'm going to need to call it in.
Wait a minute?
Did you see what crawled
out of that goddamn ground?
And you think the meteorite
had something to do with it?
What do you say we go find out.
Well, could it be from
the underground reservoir?
What underground reservoir?
It's underneath. The researchers
found it from Antelope Valley College.
They found it back in 2015.
Well, how far down does ago?
I don't know. A few thousand feet?
They haven't touched
it. They left it alone.
They think the water is contaminated
by the gas and oil from drilling.
Huh?
Oh, hell.
You might be onto something.
Thanks for your help.
I gotta go.
Fortunately, God loves the Marines.
As you guessed it, GPS is useless.
But look what I found.
Your dad's in LA.
We're only about an hour
and a half out from there.
No. National Guard probably
already has the city shutdown.
No one is going in.
Besides, we need to go somewhere
where we can do some real damage.
And what did you have in mind?
Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.
- Tucson? As in Arizona?
- Mm-hmm.
SoCal Logistics airport is right here
in Victorville. It's like 10 miles out.
Yeah. Why don't we go there first and
let somebody know what's happening?
We can fly out from there to
get to Tucson. That'll be faster.
And end end up like the Helo?
No, we stay on the roads, okay?
That's the best shot we
have at staying in one piece.
Emma, why are we going to DMA?
Because we may just have found
the only way to kill this thing
and we're going to put it to use.
- Are you serious?
- For real?
We're actually going to put
the tech in a real plane?
Yeah.
Emma, I don't know if that's
possible and neither do you.
We might actually have
a shot at this, Bruce.
We're moving into phase two now.
Okay? Before everything
around us burns to the ground.
Let's get this show on
the road and head out.
Emma, wait.
Hey, wait.
Look, driving there is
going to take much longer.
Look, you gotta to get that
crash outta your head now.
You're letting it affect
our whole fate just because
you're still afraid to
get into another airplane.
You saw what happened
to our airlift, right?
We get in the air, we put our lives
and the Neuro tech in jeopardy.
- That is a risk I am not willing to take.
- No. That's not why.
But you can keep telling yourself
that while we waste valuable time.
- Is that it? You got it?
- Yeah.
Here.
Prep some slides.
Uh, you okay?
I'll be fine. I just...
I'll get a little cleaned up.
Just prep some slides and
bring it into my office.
And listen... if you know someone,
if you need to go someplace, go.
Get out of here.
How bad is it?
It's bad. It's a complete
nightmare out there.
There's roadblocks everywhere
but you should be able to get
through with those credentials.
Everything I've been hearing,
sounds like it's safer to stay.
I guess.
I, uh...
There's no one waiting at home. I'll stay.
Thanks.
So we're already in Joshua Tree, right?
Then we just hop on the 62 East
and we're on our way.
Yeah, it looks like we're about
it's six hours out of Tucson.
So why don't you ever
want to talk about it?
About what?
About the crash.
Why are you bringing that up now?
Because of where we're going.
Look you can lose your
patience with me are you want,
but as long as we've been working together,
it's a topic you never want to discuss.
And why can't you respect that?
Why can you just let it go?
Do I ask you all the time what
it feels like to be paralyzed
over and over and over again?
Well, it really only happened the one time.
Anything after that is just overkill.
And I wouldn't really feel it anyway.
That's kind of how paralysis
works. You know what I mean?
You're an idiot. You know that?
To tell you the truth, I think
I'm doing more good outside
of the plane than when I was in one.
Okay, but I guess I'm just trying
to say that if you ever want to get
something off your chest, I'm here for you.
Anytime.
I'll take a piss now.
Hey!
Forgot something.
I don't need both hands to hold it.
That small, huh?
Well.
Freddie, we ready?
Tank's full. Just waiting on
Ishi to finish emptying his.
So where does something
that big go to hide?
I mean, he's got to sleep right?
That thing just landed back there.
We know next to nothing
about that organism.
And we're finding ourselves
in the place to gain some...
High valued information.
Are you nuts?
Where are you going?
You have to stay here and watch the gear.
Are you kidding me, Emma?
I can't...
All right. All of you. Listen to me.
If the helmet is really the only way
we can see this thing in real time
and if there is any hope of us building
out this tech outside a real fighter jet,
we're to need all the Intel
we can get to convince them
to give us even one
plane to fight that thing.
Now I'm going to go get it.
Whoever wants to stay behind, fine.
Any problems you call me.
Em, wait up.
Coming with you.
You're not...
Come on, man.
Hmm.
I'm proud of you, Em.
I've taken samples from the
fusion crest, the mantle,
and inside near the core areas.
Hmm.
Which sample is this one?
Oh, that's from the mantle.
Let's check it out and take a look.
Hmm.
I'm getting elemental and isotopic
compositions consistent with Martian origin.
- We got an SNC here?
- I think.
I mean, these are some of the most
complex organisms I've ever seen.
Or never seen to be honest with you. I...
What?
Jesus.
Jesus Christ, what the
hell has landed here?
Sounds like came from over there.
Okay, am I the only one who's thinking
maybe this is not such a great idea.
We have to stick together now. You
should have said something at the truck.
Okay? And why can't I turn around and go?
Because if it sees you, it could
put the rest of us in danger.
How the hell do you know that?
Do you see anything coming after us yet?
Not yet.
It's okay. I only needed to
be faster than a couple you.
Huh? Don't get it twisted.
Three legs are faster than two and I
know how to work these things, sweetheart.
Yeah. We'll just go out to the
desert and leave him in the truck.
Sit on his ass.
Oh but she left me the keys.
You know in case that thing attacks,
I'll just jump behind the
wheel and save the day.
I'm talking to myself.
It looks like this is
where the trail leads.
The other specimens have been
retrieved from the impact sites
and already en route
to Johnson and Langley.
Seventeen years in the field, and
this is unlike anything I've ever seen.
It wasn't a rock, it was a lifeform.
That's consistent with the reports we've
been getting from the other crash sites.
What happened?
News travels here real
slow since the grid failed.
The stories from witnesses
were unbelievable.
A monster shooting
something from its mouth.
Some kind of cave here.
Uh, this looks like blood.
I don't know what else that could be.
Well this definitely leads
underground all right.
Well if it's bleeding
nearby, then where is it?
Well, we've come this far.
Is this actual water?
In the desert?
We're walking over hundreds
of fault zones out here,
and years of broken rock fragments.
Every time they shift,
they force the ground water to rise up.
There's more blood.
Guy, guys, guys.
Shh.
Everybody be very quiet.
How does something like
that growth that big?
You almost have to admire at the
biological marvel of such a thing.
Relax. It doesn't know that we're here.
I'm not feeling any of
the strange side effects.
I was correct,
the flaring is a self defense
mechanism when it's under attack.
Emma, look at its wings.
The water is healing its damage.
I think it cut itself when
he's speared into our aircraft.
Now we know where all that
blood's been coming from.
We done here?
Shh! Be quiet.
No. Emma. Emma stop. Don't poke it.
- Don't. Don't.
- Shh!
Now you've done it.
What is that, blood?
I don't know.
Get out. Get out. Get out.
Go, go, go, go, go, go.
It knows we're here now, Ishi!
The helmet.
No.
No. Don't come this way.
- Oh!
- Oh, hey. You're back.
How's it going?
Are you all right?
Oh by the way, whatever
you did to piss it off,
sent it coming my way.
You okay?
I don't think I've ever been
that scared before in my life.
Give me your shoe.
- Huh?
- Your shoe.
Take it off, give it to me.
No, no, the left one.
All right. Everybody get in.
Hey let's roll out before...
we run into that thing a second time.
Oh, now she cares.
What's with the shoe?
He stepped into something.
- Can I help you?
- My name is Emma Harper.
I'm with the defense Advance
Research Project Agency
and I need to speak to
your base commander now.
Regarding?
We have the technology
to fight these monsters
and save the future of civilization.
Our forces have been
largely ineffective too slow
much less eradicate this threat up to now.
These monsters are causing
untold levels of destruction.
Now for what you're saying is true,
We may need to consider unprecedented
options never used before on American soil.
We have a solution to that problem.
- What is that?
- It's a Neuro helmet.
The reason your pilots can't hit
this thing is because this creature
emits a frequency that makes the brain
think it's moving much faster than it is.
So it's messing with their heads?
But our helmet's muted.
Who are you people again?
We're from DARPA.
- And who sent you here?
- No one sent is here.
We've seen this thing up close.
It's large, powerful, and...
extremely pissed off.
Comm squadrons have been working overtime
trying to maintain an open
line with the outside world.
Problem is the outside world
keeps losing more power.
Damn near close to relying
on ham radios around here.
That may be their intentions, sir.
And who are "they" exactly?
Our computer and phone
networks may be crapping out,
but what I'm hearing everyone's
spooked over some Pulgasari
rampaging through Los Angeles.
There's been a sighting
north of here and in Texas.
So that's three confirmed
in the United States already.
And what about the rest of the world?
As of now, no other confirmed sightings
anywhere but in the United States.
There're more coming. A lot more.
And why is that?
I think we've located one of
their nests in Joshua Tree.
It had been bleeding from
when it rammed into our Helo.
But what we found in the blood,
clusters of spores,
egg sacks.
They opened up.
Things crawled out.
Things?
Like a black slime and ooze.
Formed into a solid organism
shortly after being birthed.
Ishiro stepped on one of them.
It sort of sounded like a jelly.
And then it forms into a worm some kind.
I don't know how you got onto my base,
- But get this shoe off...
- Damn it!
If I'm right,
this problem is about to
get exponentially worse.
So how do you propose we
stop that from happening?
Incendiary tipped payloads.
High explosive incendiaries
should kill those things
and destroy the spores
with extreme temperatures.
I'll take that under advisement.
We need a plane.
You need a plane?
The helmet doesn't just dampen the flaring.
It was designed to fly an
airplane with the power of thought.
- Lady, I don't have time for this.
- It will work.
We've been developing it at
DARPA for the past three years.
All we need is put it inside
and operational aircraft.
Please. You need to believe me.
This Neuro program of yours,
you really think it'll
fly one of these planes?
We just need to find one that's
going accommodate the hardware.
This is AMARG. The Aerospace
Maintenance and Regeneration Group.
The largest military aircraft
boneyard in the world.
Everything is laid out by "type."
Over there are the 1000's,
those are deemed inviolate,
no parts have been removed,
they are your best bet
for getting up in the air quickest.
Those are the 3000s, maintained in
flyable condition for temporary storage.
Also a good place to look.
And then you have the 2000's,
That's all the aircraft
we keep around for parts
for other working aircraft.
You're welcome to
whatever you need in there.
What about those?
Just take your pick.
My team will lead the first attack
as the first wave of fighters.
Hit it with enough fire power to wound it,
even out the playing field for
your pilots to come in and clean up.
These are seasoned veterans with
thousands of hours of experience.
Ishi over here flew F-16's with
the D.C. Air National Guard.
And Sandy, trained with
the Naval Air Station
where she flew Skyhawks.
- Bruce...
- Ended up on this chair
after a close fly over
Northwest of Baghdad in 2006.
My apologies.
With all due respect sir,
I don't need your apology.
What we need now is a vote of confidence.
Sir. We lost three pilots
of the Eastern Squadron.
Ground forces are depleted.
Waiting on a sitrep.
What is it? What's happening?
You're a go.
When can you have these
fighters in the sky?
We have all the space we'll need to
accommodate all the Nero tech gear
we'll need to fit inside.
Bastards won't know what hit 'em.
All right. Guys, don't start
high-fiving each other just yet.
The entire interior has over 30,000
electrical parts and over 14 miles of wiring.
And now we need to compress
all of that data management
and operation into one pilot,
who's not gonna flip one switch with
anything more than power of thought.
We got a lot of work ahead of us.
So let's get to work.
What about you Miss Harper?
What are your credentials?
1700 flight hours and 208
carrier arrest landings.
Deployed at the USS Harry Truman with
strike fighters, squadron three seven.
Raging Bulls. My oldest
is stationed at NAS Oceana.
Harper. Emma.
First woman at the stick of the Hornet
for the Blue Angels.
That's what they keep telling me, sir.
Impressive. Now you're innovating
our fleet for the modern age.
A lot of men and women want
to fight for their country
but are unable to do so because
they lack the use of their limbs.
I think that's a little short-sighted.
Well we're privileged to have you.
Thanks. Now if we may,
we've got a nest filled spores in
Joshua Tree that need to be wiped out.
After picking up samples
NASA HQ issued an alert.
Apparently one of these
things had babies of some kind.
- Babies? It gave birth?
- That's what they're saying.
Apparently it starts as some black ooze and
it evolves into living reacting organism.
And another thing...
The military has a new plan
for trying to beat these things.
They're teaming up with DARPA.
They're working on a new plane.
What? Where?
Tucson, Arizona. Emma is
finally getting her chance.
Maybe they can use a guy like you.
Maybe you for gotten how long
it's been since I've flown.
So it's the kind of thing
someone forgets how to do?
I figured someone with so many awards
and medals, it's like riding a bike.
You've never been inside
the cockpit of a plane.
And besides, the technology's changed
considerably since I've flown. It's...
That's true but Emma designed it.
I'm sure she'd be willing
to teach you how to use it.
- I don't think I'm...
- You don't need to think.
You just have to go.
All right, gang, this is for real.
This is not a competition.
Although, whoever shows me the
best score takes first plane up.
Copy that.
I'll show you competition.
Bring it on, Sandy.
Ishi I need you to clear
your head right now.
Show me you can think only about the plane.
Concentrate. Only on your command.
What is he doing?
How did that feel?
Like I was actually
flying the plane for the first time.
All I needed to do was piss him off.
All right team. Let's reset. Back to one.
I see you're still making friends, huh?
Dad!
- What are you doing here?
- Hi, sweetheart.
I came to see you.
Now, how are you going to fight
those things with that, huh?
You said you're making a brain plane,
I'd imagine something a little bigger.
Ha. Cute.
Seriously, what are you doing here?
You drove all the way
out here from Crestline?
I came out here to see you.
Well, welcome to Project Neuro.
This is what I've been working on.
This is Freddie. he's one
of my engineers and a pilot.
Freddie Young. Marine Corps,
3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.
Ben Robbins.
Call me Ben.
Emma here tells us you were
a pilot with the Air Force.
Oh, yeah. 95th Fighter
Squad based out of Tyndall.
- Badass.
- Well, we like to think so.
Don't get him started. You're
gonna hear war stories all night.
Eh. So. These little
boxes look a little tight.
I mean, they're a little snug, huh?
They were developed based
upon the cockpit dimensions
of every Century Series aircraft.
Come on. Let me show you around.
All right.
All of that stuff out
there is going in there.
Wow.
We're going around the clock
to retrofit all of them,
but this one in front
of you will be the first.
We need to get one up in
the air as fast as possible.
This is amazing.
I mean, this is absolutely incredible.
Word had gotten around that
you were building a plane. Huh.
The brain plane.
Well, I couldn't stand by
while the world was burning
and you were conquering it all on your own.
I'm sorry.
I should've been more supportive.
- Dad, look it's...
- No, please. Just...
I've been in denial.
I know why you did this. I understand.
After your crash,
you actually had a chance
to come back and pursue this.
But I wanted you to join the
stunt team for a couple of reasons.
- And those were?
- Well...
I wanted to see you back in a plane.
And I was too scared to
ever get back in one myself.
After my car accident,
then your mother died.
I started feeling bouts of
depression, paranoia, claustrophobia.
I couldn't even get into an elevator.
I've been seeing a therapist for years.
Years?
Dad. You could have told me something.
But while I couldn't
even imagine flying again.
I missed it. Emma, I really missed it.
And after seeing you up there,
you're right.
I was reliving it. All through you. Again.
When you walked away and
devoted your time to this,
I wanted to discourage you.
Because, well...
I just couldn't imagine
seeing you not fly again.
Me not flying again.
But... I think I'm ready now.
Thank you.
Oh, baby.
Thank you, Dad.
And I'm gonna help you every
step of the way. I promise.
Just relax, Dad.
Focus all your thoughts
on doing simple maneuvers.
Okay.
All right, Dad.
The drone is hooked in.
It's all up to you now.
Just relax. Clear your head.
Sit perfectly still.
And when you're ready, I
want you to say out loud,
"Forward throttle."
Forward throttle.
That's okay, Dad.
Just focus on what you
want the plane to do.
Then say it out loud.
Forward throttle.
Stay on my tail.
Accuracy is important.
And efficiency of control.
This isn't working.
He's having a really hard time.
I can't control the stick.
This isn't doing what I wanted to do.
Because you're not
concentrating hard enough.
Dad, maybe you're not ready for this.
I don't want to rush you.
We don't have a choice.
- I'll tighten up. I...
- Can I make a suggestion?
Please.
Forget about trying to keep up. Okay.
Forget about the scores.
Forget about all that.
Just do what comes to you naturally.
You're a pilot.
I know you haven't flown a plane in years.
But none of that matters.
You'll always be a pilot.
Just pretend like you're back
in that F-22 raptor in Tyndall.
And you're taking her out for a ride.
Forward throttle.
Bank left, twenty degrees.
He's really getting the hang of it now.
Whatever she did must have worked.
Hey, you're doing great.
Let's put you through
some precision exercises.
Go for it.
Now go to 800 feet
and give me a roll.
Okay, now I want you
to go to 1100 feet AGL.
Hold it for a count of five.
Then dive down to 900 and
give me a figure-eight.
Whoo!
Wow.
Congratulations, sir.
You did great.
Thank you, sweetheart.
Well, you scored higher
than anyone on this team
- for their first flight.
- Wow.
Frankly, they're unprecedented, sir.
I mean, your scores are better than
ours on many advanced exercises.
Well it was my first time, I guess
you can just call it beginner's luck.
Your numbers are now the team record.
Congratulations!
Wow. Really?
I was like being back there again.
The situation has grown more dire.
We have reports of mass casualties
from Texas from some kind of poisoning.
The only explanation we have
from anyone down there is that
it's coming from the creature.
You mean it's emanating some kind of toxin?
This thing is leaving a trail
of pollution in its wake.
The CDC has detected highly toxic
levels of... this is a quote...
"A lethal mix of benzene, toluene,
ethylbenzene, and xylene, hydrogen sulfide,
and sulfur dioxide.
Radiating from the body."
Heading?
There's sighting due South.
Our estimates have it
moving towards Dallas.
Harper.
This crisis is continuing to escalate.
I hope your team's ready.
All available manpower is being
dedicated in getting that first plane up.
We're running out of time.
We need to make a decision.
I think we'd all like to volunteer.
But we've never seen scores
like your dad's before.
He's only been in the booth once.
- He's not ready.
- I completely disagree.
I mean, I think he's going to continue
to surprise us with his capabilities.
We don't have the time to train him.
Okay. Then we start. Now. Today.
We don't have luxury to
argue over this, Emma.
Everyday that we wait is a day we lose.
- You gotta make a decision.
- Think about it.
You've made yourself at home.
Ah. The medical squad was kind
enough to lend me some gear.
The hatchlings share chemical and
biological traits with the meteorites.
Strange and specific elements.
Now that brought me to the NASA archives.
Evidently the Russians had sent
a probe to Mars back in the 70s.
One of them landed successfully.
And?
The report claims that Mars identified
nearly three identical examples.
They called it the "Larga."
Now, the Russians weren't about
to share this intelligence with us.
But eventually, one of our
agencies got a hold of it,
and when they put it in a
file and they sealed it away.
God. Nothing would end Space Race
faster than the public finding out
that there are monsters waiting out there.
That would be my guess.
The specimens have hatched
in different locations.
I'd say population
seems to be their intent.
I guess my only question
is, why did they leave Mars?
Uh, Dad.
The situation has intensified.
We've been ordered to put all
our efforts into getting that
first plane into the battle field.
And...
The team feels that you should
be the one to take her out.
I don't understand.
They think that you're our best
chance at winning this fight.
Wait. I...
I said I wanted to fight but I
didn't think I'd be the first to go.
I mean, well... frankly I'm...
I'm honored.
We're not gonna have any time
to prepare you for this, Dad.
I'm gonna have to devise a crash course
regiment that's woefully under prepared...
Emma. I have flown planes half of my life.
I've been sitting in this chair too long.
Now you're giving me a chance to
go back up and do something right.
Yeah, you can count on me.
Major.
Lieutenant.
It's like you never left.
It feels that way as well.
The president has authorized
Operation Monster Zero.
We're here to support
and ready to mobilize.
Godspeed.
Good luck.
Godspeed.
Open a channel to POTUS at site R.
Here you go, sir.
God, I hope it lifts off.
Forward throttle.
Neuro One turning southbound,
altitude of one six-thousand.
Strategic Air Command
forces are now at DEFCON Two.
Ready to go.
Neuro One. You are ready to engage.
I repeat, ready to engage.
Target is in flight, I need support.
This thing is ginormous!
Neuro One. Air
support is on its way.
Maintain visual contact until
it arrives. Be ready to engage.
Right behind you, Neuro One.
Locked and loaded.
Focus on the blur
and fire when ready.
We'll aim for your target.
It's down!
The first one is down! Repeat.
The first one is down!
Whoa!
Mayday! Mayday! I've been hit.
It's not dead. I've lost visual.
Neuro One, say again?
Neuro One, come again?
Neuro One, say again?
Neuro One, come again?
Neuro One, do you read?
Neuro One?
Dad?
Emma.
Are you okay?
I'm fine. I'll be right back.
I can't look at this right now.
I hope these monsters bleed to death.
He's fine. He's fine. He's fine.
Did he call? Did he call in yet?
We need to debrief the President.
And tell him what? That our
first plane is already missing?
You can start with an ETA on
getting your other two planes up.
Sir, I'm getting a signal.
Incoming aircraft entering Bravo airspace.
You sure it's an aircraft
and not one of those things?
It's me, damn it! I'm coming in.
It took out everybody.
You said it went down and then
the second transmission went out.
Oh, It went down all right
and then it got right back up.
Wiped out all the F-18's
and I took shrapnel.
Well, that explains it, it
must've wiped out the antenna.
We're severely outmatched.
I mean, we can send up 10 of those
planes, and it's not going to do a thing.
We pumped high incendiaries explosives
and Hydra rockets into that son of a bitch,
and all it did was piss it off.
The second Larga was spewing out
some kind of radioactive pulse.
What about the one you saw first?
It was an energy beam.
The first Larga came out of the ground
at an electric plant in Palmdale.
And the one you saw was in Texas.
Yeah, the second crash site
was at a nuclear facility,
and the third crashed at a highly
combustible refinery near Los Angeles.
But th-that could explain the
toxic vapor it was emanating, right?
Yes. Fetch my glasses and follow me.
The Palmdale Larga was
birthed from one of the largest
electronic waste recycling
centers in the state.
Huh?
The Larga must be a product of the
environment in which it's incubated.
I need a drink.
What the hell's this?
Who put this in here?
How long's this thing been in here?
About five, ten minutes?
Huh?
We're in a jet plane hangar.
Give me some liquid nitrogen, fast.
They won't know what hit 'em.
The fridge is zero degrees Fahrenheit.
Now anything is gonna get
sluggish when it's cold.
But... look how it deteriorated
in such a short period of time.
Cold is not this creature's friend.
That's why they had to leave Mars.
Because the couldn't inhabit the cold.
That's right.
Our somewhat limited Intel
has the most recent sighting
of the first larga heading
west over Los Angeles.
The second is moving south near
the border of Arizona and Nevada.
And the third one Ben just fought off,
was last seen flying over
the Dallas Fort Worth area.
Military bases within 50 miles of
each of these locations is on standby.
Once our NeuroJets are airborne,
air support will be in these regions.
That son of a bitch must
have followed me here.
The roof!
No!
Don't move.
Ishi!
Are you okay?
I'm fine.
I'm fine.
Freddie!
Sandy!
Where are you?
Emma, come on! We gotta go, now!
We gotta get to the NeuroJets. Follow me.
They want a fight, they got it!
- Freddie!
- Let's take it to them!
Sandy!
Okay. Okay.
Think about the plane, not the commands.
I mean, commands! Not the plane.
Commands. Commands.
Oh my God.
Oh my God.
Forward throttle.
Forward throttle.
Oh my God!
It's the same behavior as the hatchlings.
They converged!
And they can come back apart.
We can't let that happen.
Our cryomissiles are limited,
us them only when you
know you've got a shot.
I've got it! I found the target!
- Where is it, Emma?
- Dad! Listen to me.
On my mark, I want you and Ishiro
to aim the full payload at its chest!
No-no-no. That's
not gonna do much...
Just fire on my mark!
Okay.
Copy that.
No!
Ishiro's been hit! He's down!
It's just you and me now, kiddo.
On my mark, standby.
Dad.
I love you.
I'm sorry I wasted so much time.
Emma! Emma, what are you doing?
Dad, fire now!
Firing now!
Its down! It's down! I got it.
Great work, kiddo!
You gave your old man a
scare there for a minute.
I'm proud of you, Emma.
Ishi?
You did it, honey.
We all did it. Together.
Ishiro was a good pilot
and damn good fighter.
I'll miss him.
If that offer's still good,
I'd like to take you up on it.
We can always use you on the team.