"Don't think about it." "We have to think about it." "Henry, what are we going to do?" "I want to get married." "So do I. More than anything." "Look, our parents hate each other, and we're the ones who suffer." "We've got to elope." "Hon, we've been through that." "If I ran off with you, my folks would cut me off without a penny." "No money, no journalism school." "No journalism school, no future." "Of course, I was thinking... that if we did elope, and then we sold this car of yours" "Are you kidding?" "If I ran away with you, my folks would have it repossessed... faster than we could get it out of the garage." "What're we going to do?" "My gosh!" "What is it?" "It's a UFO, just like the one Jake saw last night!" " What are you doing?" " I'm going to get a picture." "No, Henry." "Stay here." "Are you nuts?" "This is the chance of a lifetime." "No, Henry." "Where are you going?" "Please come back." "Terror and tragedy seem quite out of place in the small, quiet town of Berryville." "Yet for the past week, strange light formations have violated its night skies." "More UFOs have been sighted here in the last five days... than were sighted in the whole country this past year." "But last night the terror here in Berryville reached new dimensions... when one of its citizens, Henry Wilson... inexplicably, and perhaps tragically, disappeared." "Excuse me." " Mrs. Wilson?" " Yes?" "I'm Diana Prince with the IADC." "I know you're upset, but I'd like to ask you a few questions." " Is that all right?" " I suppose." "Mrs. Wilson, a few words with you, please." "It was your son who disappeared..." "Are we rolling?" "It was your son who disappeared in those UFO sightings last night?" "Yes." "Could you speak just a bit louder for our cameras, please?" "Yes, it was my son Henry." "What makes you assume he was abducted by creatures from outer space?" "Henry said he was going to the library." "He's a student at State, you know." "He studies so hard." "I know it's very painful, Mrs. Wilson, but please go on." "Henry always walked to the library... in fact, he walked almost everywhere, especially at night." "But what makes you so sure he was abducted?" "Because to get to the library he'd have to pass by that field... where our neighbor, Jake, saw one of those things the night before." "It's like Henry was just picked up and whisked away by some awful creature." "But what of the fact that your son Henry... may be the world's first intergalactic space traveler?" "Isn't that some solace to you, Mrs. Wilson?" "Would you hold the picture to our cameras, please?" "I just want him back." "He belongs here in Berryville, not out there." "Did you say you were with the government?" "Yes, the IADC." "I'm trying to find out about those sightings." "I've been hoping an outsider like you would show up." "Why?" "What I know I can't say to anybody in town." " About this abduction nonsense?" " It isn't nonsense." "Henry really was captured by a UFO." "I have proof." "If anyone in town ever found out I had Henry in my car last night..." "I'd never be let out of the house again." "That's why I have to keep this a secret." "Tape recorder?" "Henry's a journalism student." "He and his equipment are inseparable." "He says he always wants to be ready for the big story." "You mean, he had this with him when he was carried off by the UFO you saw?" "He must have dropped it." "Play it." "The object in front ofme is about 14 feet by 20... made of a metallic substance similar to..." "Well, it looks like silver rubber." "It's oblong and ringed with blinding red and white lights." "And now... wait!" "Something's coming out of the bottom." "Yes." "Beings!" "Beings from another planet." "They're small, about 5'4 "." "Grayish, with no features." "They're coming closer." "It's okay." "You see?" "They really did take him." "Attention." "Emergency alert in progress." "Please clear the streets." " Where outside Berryville?" " I don't know." "Quit picking your toes and find out!" "I'm in Berryville right now... in case you imbeciles back there have forgotten." "Excuse me." "What's going on here?" "We're being attacked by a fleet of starships, that's all." "It's the biggest news story since the Flood." " What?" " You don't have a television?" "There's a battle going on between us and aliens from outer space... somewhere in these hills, and we're losing." "And we're just sitting here." "Come on, Mac." " How about showing me where a phone is?" " Okay." "Come on." "You're not part of a news team, are you?" " When did it start?" " About 10 minutes ago." "First it was only on CBS, but now all the networks have a feed." "They're convinced it's for real, Colonel." "I've never seen anything like it." "These starships are annihilating everything in their path." "Nothing can defeat their lasers." "The Lord help us all." "I don't think anything can stop them." "Y eah." "Not now." "Hold all my calls." "This small group of farmers and deputies..." "Who are making a courageous stand in this field... are certainly no match for the incredibly devastating weaponry... that is being displayed by this group of aliens." "All right." "We're all on red alert until somebody gets to the bottom of this." "Above all, stay calm." "All we know is what we've seen on television." "It's probably some kind of a hoax, or a colossal mistake." "At any rate, we all have our jobs to do, so let's do them." "Bobbie..." "I want you to contact the media, especially television... tell them to bottle this thing up." "We don't want mass hysteria." "If they ask for a statement, simply say:" ""The government does not confirm any of it. "" " Right, Colonel." " Bobbie, one more thing..." "I want you to find the television feed that the networks have been picking up." "Already have, Colonel." "Apparently an unlicensed pirate station in Pennsylvania is relaying the broadcast." " Where in Pennsylvania?" " Just outside Berryville... where you sent Diana." "The broadcast stopped abruptly about 10 minutes ago... but according to our satellite sensors... the feed originated at an unlicensed transmitter... about 9 miles West of Berryville." "I want to hear back from you in exactly one hour." "Is that understood?" "Okay." "Goodbye." "Diana's trying to locate the people who were broadcasting that battle." "She also said to be on the lookout for a tape she'd messengered over here." "She wants the lab boys to test its authenticity." "Will do." "Meanwhile, there's about 10 zillion people to see you... about this invasion... one of whom is a UFO man, Col. Robert Elliot." " Good." " No, I'll get him." "There's likely to be a riot if you poke your head out there." "Col. Elliot, he'll see you now." " Long time, Colonel." " It's nice to see you." "As the airforce's leading expert on UFO's, do you have any theories?" "All I can say is I'm on my way to the airport... then to Pittsburgh, and on to Berryville... for a firsthand look at what we're up against." "Sorry to hear that." "I was hoping you were in on this thing to prove it a hoax." "I'm afraid not." "One of our pilots has spotted what looks like the battle site... in the foothills of the Alleghenies." "That is a fact which, I trust, will go no further than this office." "Of course." "You mean there really is an invasion?" "Well, again, all I can say is we're facing a situation here... that warrants swift and careful investigation." "Can't the authorities in Pennsylvania handle it?" "We haven't been able to reach any of our people there." "The matter is much too delicate... to enlist the state's law enforcement agencies." "We can't risk panicking the public any further." "I'm sorry to blindside you like this, Colonel... but I couldn't discuss it with you on the phone." "I understand." "But let me ask you, are you being sent to Berryville... because of your past work with Project Blue Book... or because of your present involvement with our nuclear weapons program?" "Let me put it this way." "My superiors felt that not only was I the best person... to figure out what we're up against... but they also felt I was the best person to figure out how to eliminate it." "I have to go, Colonel." "I just got word that someone in Berryville... was apparently abducted last night by a UFO." "I didn't give it much credence until now." "How did you come by that information?" "I sent an agent to see if there was anything to the sightings." "My Lord, they wiped out every last one of them." "A handful of defenseless farmers, county deputies... destroyed like paper dolls." "Not necessarily, General." " What are you talking about?" " The TV crew." "Whoever recorded the battle is not here." "Looks as if they, and only they, got out alive." "Almost as if those monsters wanted to make sure the whole world saw this." "This is what I suggest we do, General:" "We cordon off an area on the other side of that ridge to decoy the public." "It'll give us a chance to take soil samples and test for radioactivity... without causing panic." "And above all, we have to locate that TV crew." " They're the only true witnesses we have." " Fine, Elliot." "We'll lead the public to believe the whole thing a hoax... until we know exactly what has happened." "But in the meantime, I'm calling the Joint Chiefs." "We've got to put together some kind of defense." "Quietly, of course." "I was told I could count on you... where nuclear strategy was concerned." "You, apparently, are one of the few with access to Kutzville?" "Yes, sir." "That's correct." "I pray it doesn't come to that, nuclear weapons." "Of course, Elliot, so do I. But they might be our only recourse... in light of what we've seen here." "Let's get things rolling." "If you'd like to look around a little more, I can go back with him... make some calls, check back for you in an hour." "Yes, I'd like that." "Thank you." "You know, I spent 13 years with Project Blue Book... investigating phenomena that's turned out to be everything... from weather satellites to flocks of geese... always finding an explanation... and always hoping, deep down inside me... that I wouldn't." "Maybe this... is finally the real thing." "I'm telling you, let me out of here." "Do you hear me?" "I haven't done anything." "I'm bigger than you." "And you don't frighten me." "Okay, so you got me on that one." "Come no closer, Col. Elliot." "If the others see us here you will surely be destroyed." "You know who I am?" "Our superiors have been monitoring you and others in your government." "That is how we know you can help us." "How I can help you?" "Our superiors intend to destroy all life on your planet... in order to mine its metal-bearing resources." "They must be stopped, not only to sa ve your planet... but to show others in our solar system... that such slaughter will not be tolerated." "What can I do?" "Destroy our starship fleet before it launches its major attack." "How?" "Send nuclear warheads to a location... 118 degrees longitude... 42 degrees latitude." "That's in the middle of the People's Republic of China!" "Our superiors 'plan to launch the attack from here was foiled." "They intend now to land at those coordinates." "But nuclear warheads will destroy not only the starship... but millions of innocent people as well." "Were you to try to warn them, our superiors would find out... and simply land somewhere else." "You must launch the warheads within two hours... and you must tell no one." "There must be some other way." "Saving billions oflives throughout the universe... cannot be achieved without sacrifice." "The two of us will be on the mother ship when you destroy it." "There is no other way." "I just don't know if I can." "You were hoping before that this would finally be the real thing." "To our mutual sorrow, Colonel, indeed it is." "Colonel, you ready to go back?" "Yes." "Yes, I am." "I've got a lot to do." " Anything new on the invasion broadcast?" " Nothing new, Colonel." "Good." "That's just what I finished telling them." "Here's more material Ira tracked down on the pirate station outside Berryville... here's our lunch, and here, I'm told, is Diana." "You're exactly 25 minutes late." "Yes, I know." "The worst of it is I ran into some car trouble... while I was trying to locate that pirate transmitter." "I never got there, wherever it is." "You could've said you ran into some little green men from outer space." "Yes, I suppose I could've." "Steve, somebody has taken some pretty definite steps... to see that people don't get near that transmitter." "My car trouble Was very Well-planned." "Ira just dug up some interesting clues... that might relate to the transmitter's operation." "Such as?" "Such as a large amount ofheavy-duty electronic equipment... recently purchased and believed to be moved to the Berryville area." "That's the kind of electronic equipment that could put a TV station into operation." "It seems several low-profile types are involved." "By low-profile I mean people of questionable affiliations... shady characters, that sort of thing." "Anyone in particular?" "One of them is Mason Steele." "I've heard of him." "He's an ultra-right-wing fanatic." "He's also on the fbi's keep-an-eye-on list." "Yeah." "Especially when there's something involving Communist China." "I'm going to take another shot at locating that pirate transmitter." " Has my tape arrived yet?" " No, not yet." "With everything I've heard today... the idea of somebody being kidnapped by a starship... is beginning to sound tame." "I know what you mean." "At least let me have some air in here." "I'm suffocating." "Do you hear me?" "I'm gonna die on you if you don't get me some air." "That's more like it, you creeps." "Air." "I presume you're trespassing because you were unbearably anxious to meet us." " Therefore, my name is Mason" " Steele." " And your name?" " I know her." "She's Diana Prince, with the IADC." "That's right." "We're on to you, Mr. Steele." "I don't think so." "My name was only one of a dozen or so your agency pulled out of a hat." "Just so you're not too surprised when the others get here." "You were supposed to be caught here snooping, to throw me off guard." "Is that what you want me to believe, Miss Prince?" "I think not." "I think you bungled across my little warehouse accidentally." "And you shall leave the same way." "Accidentally." "A tragedy, of course." "But that'll have to wait till the future, until I've finished my work here." "You will be privileged to observe how these facilities work." "I'd like that very much." "What you'd like very much is to come across a means of escape." "But you won't." "Only about 20 more miles, Colonel." "That road may come up a little before that." "I'll let you know." "Do you know the significance of Kutzville?" "Only that it has something to do with nuclear missiles." "Less than a dozen people know where it is... and even fewer know how to unleash what lies there." "Is that why we're going there, Colonel?" "Just drive faster." "All right, everybody." "Look alive." "We've a show to get on the air." "Jim, are we on?" "Can anybody hear us?" "I don't know if we're transmitting anymore... but in case we are, in case anyone out there can hear me... there are only two of us left." "We've been hiding... ever since the starships... devastated that pitifully outmatched group of men this morning." "And we've been watching, watching as more and more starships gather." "They appear to be rendezvousing, comparing notes..." "Of course, it'll be much more effective when we add the sound effects... and key in the starships behind him." "We'll do that at the transmitter down the road... when we broadcast." "And you'll be sure to scramble the transmission with enough static... so no one can tell it's a taped transmission... and not a live broadcast." "Correct?" "Grossly underrated medium, television." "The starships are flying out of sight... over the horizon, not simply upwards into the heavens." "If anyone out there can hear me... what I've seen today... this nightmare of wanton destruction... this display of merciless, mindless violence... from what I've seen today, I'm terrified... not for myself... as I've said, the starships appear to be leaving this area..." "I'm terrified for the whole of humanity." "I'm terrified that I've just seen... the beginning of the end for all of us." "Jim, they've seen us." "Get down, Jim!" "Get down!" "Okay, cut it." "Ed says he'll sweeten that last bit with a special effect." "Good." "Get it to the transmitter quickly." "I want this broadcast on the air in less than half an hour." "In the first battle we shot a lot of exteriors." "Then you saw it." "Very impressive." "So you were responsible for the UFO sightings over Berryville?" "It was meant to whet the public's appetite for my little invasion." "You made a UFO out of a blimp and some colored lights." "Combined with appropriate sound effects, it could even fool a Martian or two." "The kid got away." "It's all right." "If and when he reaches the authorities, it'll be too late." "The young man you saw earlier... he came across our UFO unexpectedly." "It was necessary to detain him." "And the rest of your cast?" "They were supposed to discourage potential meddlers?" "They and certain foreign objects on the road?" "They also serve a noble purpose." "Speaking of which, Mr. Steele, I'd like to hear yours." "Why the hoax?" "What can you possibly hope to accomplish?" "I'll spare you the details." "Suffice it to say I'm serving my country." "Even as you, perhaps." "Except my hands are not tied with red tape and political expediency." "I am free to act and destroy the enemies of the United States... to do what every freedom-loving patriot knows has to be done." "I've seen to it... that at the end of the day... the entire heartland of Red China will be obliterated in nuclear holocaust." "You really are insane." "We all have our passions." "Mine is to see that democracy outlives every other form of government." "The others?" "They play the lead... in a magnificent, cosmic tragedy." "I don't even see a town." "Let alone a missile site." "You're seeing exactly what you're supposed to see." "Nothing." "Make a right on that dirt road up there." " Everybody's all set." " Good." "Let's see to it that Miss Prince is covered up with the rest of our tracks... and be off to the station." "I have an aversion to loud noises." "I daresay you won't hear this one for long." "In a way, for your sake, I almost hope you never realize the truth... that you've done more to destroy democracy... than any communist country ever dreamed of doing." "Put a gag on her mouth." "I don't have to listen to these obscenities... not from someone who has never done anything... to see that her country prevails on the face of the earth." "Just give us time to clear the building." "Three minutes." "At least you're about to die, in a sense, for your country." "That's more than you deserve." "I was wondering what happened to you." "It was a good thing I came back to look for my camera." "Those jerks better not have damaged it." "It's bad enough they already dropped my tape recorder." "Hang on." "I'll have you free in a second." "What maniac tied this?" "Holy criminy, that's a..." "It's a bomb!" "Hold on." "All right, now, Henry, just think." "That news clip you saw in class about the bomb squad." "What's the first thing they did?" "Disconnected the timing device from the detonator switch." "Never knew my heart could beat so fast." "Henry Wilson, I think I love you." "You know who I am?" "The whole country does." "Everyone thinks you're on your way to Mars." "No kidding?" "I have to find the transmitter they're using." "Transmitter?" "There's no..." "Wait a minute, the old Barnes place." "There's a transmitter there?" "Yeah, maybe." "Couple of weeks ago some out-of-towners bought it." "Started installing all sorts of electronic equipment." "Said they were with the power department." "Okay, how do I get there?" "Let's see, you go out to the main road and then you make a left... and it's about 4 miles." "So a shortcut would be straight through the woods outside, right?" "Yeah, I guess." "I want you to take my car back to town." " But how are you gonna..." " I have a friend." "In the woods?" " We're going inside here?" " Yes." "An elevator will take us several hundred feet down to the launch room." "Have your piece ready." "Looks like Col. Robert Elliot is on his way down." "Funny, I didn't get word he was coming." "He has A-to-Z clearance." "He's on again." "I don't know if we're transmitting anymore... but in case we are, in case anyone out there can hear me... there are only two of us left." "As it turns out, this broadcast is just icing on the cake." "We haven't heard from Jerry yet... which means they must be at the missile site." "How dare you do this to me, Wonder Woman?" "This is treasonous!" "You weren't really planning on leaving, were you, gentlemen?" "I think it's time someone started you on your way to getting some help, Steele." "She must be executed as an example to all those who idolized her." "Get her!" "We've got to do something." "Come on." "On your feet and fight!" "Stop her." "With patriots like you, this country doesn't need any enemies." "I want you to tell me the whole plan, and if it's necessary... you're going to put me in front of one of those cameras in there." "Surely you don't intend to launch the warheads?" "Colonel, you can't!" "I'm one of five people in this country who can." "...not for myself... as I've said, the starships appear to be lea ving this area..." "I'm terrified for the Whole ofbhumanity." "Jerry, take care of that noise." "You're activating a fail-safe mechanism that" "That I helped design." "Which I have just overridden." "118 degrees longitude... 32 degrees latitude." "It will soon be over." "How I wish this didn't rest on my shoulders." "Wait, Colonel." "Look!" "No starships, no battle, no invasion." "Turn it up." "The broadcast you were just watching... and the one transmitted earlier today were part of a hoax." "It's a trick." "Get on with it, Colonel." "There was not going to be a landing in Red China or anywhere else." "This was all for the benefit of Col. Robert Elliot." "He was fooled into going to Kutzville." "I repeat, Col. Robert Elliot is in Kutzville." "Get m e General Eberhart." "Emergency priority." "The broadcasts that he and everyone else saw today were not live... they were videotapes." "There is no cause for alarm, no reason to panic." "Col. Elliot, if you can hear me... your aide is actually working for the man behind all this." "He's been spying on you, manipulating you with the help of others." "Colonel, please, there has been and will be no invasion." "Good Lord!"