"I hate this part." "You're still here, but I know you're going, and I hate that." "well, I'II call you, baby." "Don't tease me." "I miss you so much when you're gone." "I miss you,too, baby." "Listen." "Last time Streck told me... if I beIIyached about you for one more minute... he was gonna toss my ass right off the ship." "You tell Streck your ass belongs to me... and he can keep his hands off it." "AII right." "My class wants you to come by when you get back." "I think I can arrange a visit... if you're nice." "How nice?" "You like fruit?" "well..." "Come here a minute." "Come here." "Ain't that a peach?" "It thatfor me?" "That's for you." "Victory, this is Mission control." "AII systems are go." "flight Commander, all computers are functioning." "The crew of Victory... has been given a go for orbit operations... by the Mission control Center." "Crew members are doing well... and all systems of the orbiter are performing satisfactorily." "Three... two... one... zero, and Iiftoff." "Mission control, we have left the pad." "Roger that,Victory." "You are go for throttle up." "Mission control, this is Victory." "We have throttled up." "It's a fine day forfIying, Houston." "AII systems are go." "PineappIes!" "What do they have in Kansas?" "Corn!" "Yes, corn, and what about Georgia?" "What do they have in Georgia?" "Peaches!" "Very good." "And what do we have here in florida?" "Oranges!" "And rocket ships." "Yes, calvin, and rocket ships." "Mrs. Armacost, you have a phone call." "Thank you, Brian." "OK, Iet's go to page seven." "And work quietly, OK?" "Mrs. Armacost." "Yes,this is JiIIian Armacost." "Mrs. Armacost, NASA communications." "We have your husbandfor you." "Go ahead, Commander." "JiIIian?" "Spencer?" "Yeah, I told you I'd call." "It's amazing, isn't it?" "Yes, amazing." "Hey,jill." "What are you wearing?" "Come on, now." "Ain't nobody else listening." "Not exactly, Commander." "including Houston and J.P.L... there are about 300 folks on the line today." "It's a nice day down there, huh?" "beautiful." "Can you see outside,jill?" "Fifteen seconds, Commander." "I'm right above you." "You lookin' up, honey?" "Ten seconds." "Won't you smile for me, huh?" "I already am." "He called youfrom outer space?" "well,technically from Earth's orbit, but yes." "He called me from the orbiter." "stanley won't even call me from the Beef 'N' Burger... and you get a call from outer space... the Earth's orbit,whatever." "technically speaking, jill,you scored." "I don't get it." "We grew up in the same house." "You land Johnny Rocket Boy." "I keep getting different versions... of Throws-Up-On-Himself EImo." "I bet he's good at the little things,too, isn't he?" "What little things?" "Just those little things that mean so much." "It's true." "You know, men are like parking spaces." "AII the good ones are taken... and all the available ones are handicapped." "What?" "And now back to our program." "Oh, man, something happened." "Come on." "Keep checking." "Mrs. Armacost, I'm Sherman Reese from NASA." "Um, it's about your husband." "What's happened?" "We'd Iike you to come with us." "I have a car right outside." "There's something about Spencer!" "please, Mrs. Armacost." "Captain Streck's wife is already there." "The director wants" "The condition of Armacost and Streck... as well as the rest of the shuttle crew... is at this time unknown." "Reporting live from NASA..." "Is my husband dead?" "Ma'am, I don't know anything... about the condition of your husband." "Is my husband dead?" "Ma'am, I just don't know." "Then take me to someone who does." "He's dead." "I know he's dead." "They're not dead." "They're not dead." "What have they told you?" "Nothing." "They won't tell me anything." "Mrs. Streck, Mrs. Armacost." "First,your husbands are alive." "Oh,thank God." "They're back on the orbiter right now... and we're gonna bring 'em down immediately." "What happened up there?" "Your husbands were outside the orbiter... performing some repairs on a satellite." "There was an explosion... and we lost contact with both astronauts... for about two minutes." "You lost contact?" "What do you mean you lost contact?" "After the explosion, they drifted behind the shuttle." "We had to bring the craft around... a hundred and eighty degrees to get them." "They were all alone?" "But now they're back on the shuttle... and they'II be back down here as soon as we can manage it." "Mr. Reese here will stay with you... until we can get you to them." "They were all alone out there, jillian." "It's OK." "They're alive." "This will give you a view from the shuttle as they land." "would you Iike me to get you the Iink-up?" "I'II get the Iink-up." "Twenty-five seconds to reentry interface." "Maintain descent." "Wind shear-- this is minimum trajectory." "velocity at twenty-six hundred F.B.P." "At two hundred thirty-five knots... maintaining descent." "Eight at two-fifteen... five at two-ten... two at two hundred." "One foot." "Ground control,this is Victory." "We are down." "He's breathing on his own." "His vitaIfunctions are good." "As far as we can tell,there has been no brain damage... so it should only be a matter of time... before your husband regains consciousness." "So he's going to be OK?" "absolutely." "And what about alex?" "Captain Streck is an older man than your husband." "There was a tremendous strain on his heart." "natalie." "Hey,you." "I missed you so much." "How are you?" "I'm all right." "Yeah, I'm all right." "Good." "I got to pee." "I'II see what I can do for you." "Where's alex?" "Is he all right?" "Spencer,what is that?" "Did youfeeI that?" "My God,what is that?" "Honey, I'm here." "God damn it!" "What can I do?" "Jesus." "hold him." "help him!" "clear!" "That's it." "He's still at zero." "Nothing." "Charging,three hundred." "clear." "We got him." "hold off on that intubator." "Stand by with some dopamine." "Let's get an EKG prepped." "What did you say?" "well, I told that bloated fast-food-eating motherfucker... that we'd never have gotten a chance to be heroes... if he hadn't cut our budget andforced us... to put that piece of shit exploding satellite into orbit." "really?" "And then what happened?" "Said he'd never been talked to like that before by anybody... and I said I didn't give a big hairy rat's ass... and if he ever called me again, I would track him down... roust him out of his bunk, pull his pants around his ankles... and spank him with a coat hanger... right there in front of his wife and children." "well,that's real subtle." "Yeah, I thought it pretty subtle." "You want to tell me what you really said to the president?" "Yeah." "I thanked him for his call." "Then I asked him what he was wearing... and he started breathing kind of heavy... made a funny noise, and hung up." "What do you think that means?" "Maybe he's not into you." "I guess not." "She got balloons." "Why didn't I get no balloons?" "Because you got candy." "I ain't got no candy." "You got candy." "Where's my candy?" "In the car." "Does he ever talk about it?" "Did Spencer ever say anything about what happened up there?" "What it was like when they were alone?" "It's going to be OK." "They're back." "He doesn't talk about it, does he?" "Neither does alex." "Never mentions it-- not a word." "well, do you blame them?" "Those two minutes, they almost died,jillian." "But they didn't." "But they almost did." "To go through that together... to come back, and never talk about it... never bring it up-- it's bizarre." "It's over." "Honey..." "I know this has to be hard for you,too." "It just scares me that they act like it never happened." "There you go." "Thanks, Commander." "You got it, buddy." "Hey, Mike,what did he write?" "Guess what." "What?" "I'm resigningfrom the service." "Because of what happened?" "well, it's because I'm done up there." "I got an offer from an aerospace firm-- executive position..." "lots of money." "I mean boatIoads of money,jill." "What do you know about being an executive?" "You're a flier, Spence." "No, honey." "What I am is a true American hero." "The president of the United States said that... and you heard it." "Anyway..." "apparently, it's pretty goodfor business... to have a true American hero on the company letterhead." "The thing of it is,jill... is that the company headquarters... it's in New York City." "You're kidding, right?" "New York?" "You hate New York." "Too many people, remember?" "I know." "We have a life here, Spencer-- my job, ourfriends, everything." "So,what do you say?" "will you do it?" "will you move to New York City with me?" "You've always been there for me." "I want to be there for you." "Let's go to New York." "What do you say?" "Yes, paula?" "When your husband is in space, does he ever see God?" "What about aliens?" "Does he see aliens?" "Does he bring a laser gun in case there are aliens?" "If I were going, I'd bring two laser guns-- a little one for my pocket and a laser rifle." "Does your husband have a laser rifle?" "Does he get to bring it home with him?" "Does it work here on Earth or only in space?" "You know what, calvin?" "What, Mrs. Armacost?" "I'm going to miss you." "And so Iface" "The final curtain" "My friends" "I must say it clear" "I'II state my case" "Of which I'm certain" "I've lived" "A life that's full" "I traveled each" "Ain't the world incredible?" "And every highway" "And more" "Much more than this" "He did it" "His way" "Thank you." "To you, spaceman." "Baby?" "I have a brief prepared statement... and then there will be time for questions." "Captain alex Streck died last night at eightfifty-five." "The cause of death... has been determined to have been a massive stroke-- what the surgeons are calling a severe insult to the brain." "alex was an asset to this program... way beyond his professional expertise." "He will be missed terribly by all of us." "There will be a private ceremony." "Is Commander Armacost in any danger?" "I'II let Dr. Patraba answer that." "Commander Armacost has been through... an intensive array of examinations and tests." "It is the opinion of myself and my colleagues... that he's in no more danger than any of us." "I'm going to be over here, baby." "You OK?" "Where's natalie?" "She's in the back." "She's been askingfor you." "OK." "I'II see you in a bit, OK?" "AII right." "OK." "They talked to him every night." "AII the time." "I couldn't understand them." "Who talked to him, natalie?" "They did." "They did,jillian." "He's hiding inside me." "I certainly do appreciate your concern, Mr. Reese... but I have been probed and poked by enough needles... and your superiors have given me a clean bill of health." "I know that, but, Commander, I" "It's probably nothing, but..." "Do your bosses know you want to do this?" "Oh, God." "I'II be sure and let you know... of some good places for you to shop." "That dress is really sweet, but it's not really appropriate." "You'II meet lots of interesting people when you're here." "They like the sort of things I do." "You can feel the first kick." "probably not quite as interesting as me... but you're very lucky." "I, uh..." "But then she saw the rocket boosters come on... and that's when you know... that you're going somewhere reaIfast." "Zoom, zoom, zoom." "That's right." "I used to be into AIDS, but now I'm into hunger." "I teach." "Oh, at the university?" "No, second grade." "I'm sorry." "I thought you said you taught second grade." "Yes." "I" "Oh,Ambrose, hi." "You look great." "will you excuse me?" "Yeah, sure." "Yeah, all right." "Excuse me, philip." "Now, don't worry about her." "total lack of body fat has made her something less than human." "I don't think she's had her period in three years... which I guess is a blessing... for the gene pool, wouldn't you say?" "shelly McLaren." "Yeah, I know." "Your husband must be" "Jackson McLaren." "They all had cigars... but Jackson had the biggest cigar of all." "Ah, here we go." "Do you have many friends here in the city?" "Yeah, some--at work, and Spencer, of course." "What?" "Your husband and yourfriend?" "well,you better not let that get around." "You know,they're going to haul you up on charges." "That, I Iike." "What?" "Your laugh." "That's an honest laugh." "It's been a while since I've heard one." "Thank you." "It's all right." "I'II be right there." "apparently,there's some minor disaster in the kitchen-- something to do with burning rum balls." "I'm going to call you... and we're going to go out and laugh, all right?" "AII right." "You all right?" "I'm drunk." "well,that's good, honey." "That's good." "tell me what happened up there." "tell me." "AII right." "Let's take a walk." "You want to know what happened?" "Let me tell you." "Do you want to know about them two minutes?" "You never talk about it." "Two minutes-- dark... black... no light." "There was an explosion... and, um... everything shut down." "No light... no communication." "It was black... silent." "No sound, but... but Ioud--something loud." "Loud nothing." "And it was cold." "It was so cold,jill." "And I knew what that cold was." "It was death... and it held me real tight for about the first minute." "And then..." "IfeIt warmth." "It was the warmth of your vagina... the warmth of your body... your hands..." "The inside of your mouth... the warmth of your come... the warmth from inside you, JiIIian-- your warmth." "IfeIt it all around me." "It made me breathe." "It made me breathe." "What's happening?" "What are you doing?" "I couldn't sleep, so I was just..." "listening to some music." "I'm sorry if I was a bit rough." "I guess maybe I had a little too much to drink." "Come on, Iet's go to bed." "Good night, sweetheart." ""Then she began to guess the little man's name." ""'Is it Conrad PeppermiII?" "' she said..." ""And the little man said..."" ""'I know, I know." "It's Sir william Doorknob...'" ""and the little man said..."" ""'I have it." ""It must be little Ribs of Beef...'" ""and the little man said..."" ""'It couldn't be RumpeIstiItskin, could it?" "'"" ""'What did you say?" "' said the little man." ""'I said it couldn't be...'"" "RumpeIstiItskin!" ""And the little man screamed..."" ""and stamped his foot."" "Honey,you sound so sad." "It's just the city, Nan." "It just gets inside you, that's all." "You can't let it." "That's how you got in trouble after Mom and Dad died... and you sound like you did then." "Have youfound a doctor to talk to yet?" "Uh-uh." "Not yet." "Promise me something, OK?" "If it gets like it was before... that you'IIfind someone to talk to." "Nan, I really have to go, OK?" "You're late." "You didn't get my message?" "I had a dinner meeting tonight." "No." "I didn't check the machine yet." "Oh,well, I'm sorry." "I still ain't conquered this corporate shit yet." "I'm going to take a shower, honey." "Do you ever think... what if I had a F-Fifteen in world War II... or a B-Seventeen in world War I?" "No, never." "What kind of ass I couId kick... if I had that type of advanced technology?" "And how many different kinds of ass are there?" "Many kinds, love... but the modern battlefield is all electronic... and the fighter that this man has helped us design... can detect, sort, identify, and eliminate... anything electronic." "You got two McLaren engines... pumping twenty-five thousand pounds of thrust... wingspan of seventy-five feet." "fully extended." "Oh,yeah,that's fully extended." "You got a top speed of eighteen hundred miles per hour... a ceiling of fifty-five thousandfeet... and a crew of two." "The modern battlefield is a bIizzard-- a transparent, electronic blizzard... with planes and tanks... and computers and missiles all humming away-- and into that storm files ourfighter." "It doesn't drop bombs." "It doesn't shoot missiles." "It just sends out a signal." "It's like the voice of God." "It's just a signal that turns everything off." "Iforget,Jackson-- who is the enemy now... that we need your plane to defend us from?" "The enemy at this moment?" "You are, dear." "You are." "The signal it makes-- what does it sound like?" "Oh, humans can't hear it, dove." "Humans can't hear it at all." "Excuse me, a moment." "Miss Augusta would Iike to see you." "Oh, all right." "Come on,Jackson." "Augusta has summoned us to her bedside." "It's the good-night kiss." "After allowance... it's the most important event of the day." "The joys of parenthood." "Come on,Jackson." "Coming." "Why are you so far away?" "I'm right here." "What's the matter?" "What's wrong?" "I don't understand any of this." "What they're talking about... it's like they're speaking in code." "Honey, it's business,that's all." "Why do you have to build that plane?" "The way you talk about it, it doesn't even sound like you." "Baby, it's my job." "My job." "You used to say you'dfIy forever." "You used to say they'd have to bury you in the sky." "Yeah." "They almost did." "What are you Iookingfor when you look at me like that?" "What are you hidingfrom me?" "Nothing." "This is going to be a little cold." "Let's have a look in here, shall we?" "Ah,there it is." "Let's take a measurement." "Nine weeks, give or take a few days." "See this here?" "This flickering?" "What is that?" "That's the heartbeat." "Is it supposed to be moving thatfast?" "I would be worried if it were not." "Everything looks fine,jillian." "well,that's interesting." "What?" "well,wait." "I'm not sure." "See this here?" "What is that?" "A second heartbeat." "Two heartbeats." "It's twins, Mrs. Armacost-- twins." "This is a number of a support group... for women who are expecting twins." "There's something I didn't tell you... for my chart." "I know I should've, but..." "Afew years ago, after my parents died..." "I..." "I had a bad time." "How bad,jillian?" "I would see people I knew..." "I would see them dead." "And sometimes, I..." "I would see myself." "Did you seek treatment?" "Were you hospitalized?" "Does he know?" "He's the one that got me through it." "You are afraid... that this pregnancy... is going to bring all that back, right?" "Spend time with Spencer." "Go through this together." "Now that you know... that all these feelings you've been having... are caused by the life growing in you... and by your body adapting to it, oh, cherish it." "And if you need, call me any time, day or night." "Thank you." "Just a nightmare, baby." "You were talking in your sleep." "What was I saying?" "CouIdn't tell." "It didn't sound like words, really." "It was more like sounds." "I'm scared." "well, I think it'd be strange... if a first-time mother wasn't scared, honey." "Come on." "Come with me." "There you go." "That's better, ain't it?" "Everything's going to be OK, isn't it?" "Everything's going to be justfine, honey." "And they're going to be healthy, right?" "They're going to be beautiful, just like their mother." "What do you think they'II be when they grow up?" "What are they going to be?" "Shit,they going to be pilots, honey." "Just like theirfather." "Just like theirfather." "AII right, Iean back here." "Let me wash your hair." "Am I dreaming, Spencer?" "No,you're not dreaming." "And then he gives you that Iook-- that "honey, I understand" look." "I don't care how long he rubs my feetfor." "He doesn't understand a thing." "He rubs yourfeet?" "I know what you mean." "We're supposed to be going through this together... but I have neverfeIt more separate from him." "It's like there's something going on in my body... he knows nothing about." "He rubs yourfeet?" "I get into the bathtub with my socks on." "Aah!" "Oh, my God!" "Jesus,you scared me." "You are in big trouble." "Do you Iike the pie?" "I don't believe I can take much more of this, honey." "How much do you Iike the pie?" "Come get the pie." "First, I'm going to drink you, then I'm going to eat you." "Get the pie." "I'm going to eat that, right?" "Think you can handle all three of us?" "Do you love the belly?" "I Iove it." "Good, 'cause I Iove the belly,too." "Excuse me." "Do you remember me?" "How many months?" "Just a few." "I need to speak with you." "Spencer works for McLaren now, if you're lookingfor him." "No, I need to speak with you, Mrs. Armacost... about those two minutes." "The two minutes, Mrs. Armacost." "What is it, Mr. Reese?" "Have you noticed any change in your husband's behavior... since the shuttle mission?" "I've been through these files, and there are peculiarities." "Like right here." "This is your husband's signature... before he went on the shuttle that last time... and here's a form that he signed when he returned." "Now,they are similar, but not the same." "Not the same signature." "Mr. Reese, are you in New York on official NASA business?" "And here's the results of the medical tests... that we ran when he got back." "Are you on official NASA business?" "Everything is fine." "Everything shows up normal... but everything's just a little bit different-- blood levels... temperature, EKG, EEG." "Everything's just a little off from what it was." "Look." "Does NASA know you're here?" "They wouldn't listen." "They terminated my employment." "I have to go now." "If you have anything to say, call my husband at McLaren." "I showed them the facts, and they terminated my employment." "They referred me to a psychiatrist." "Don'tfoIIow me." "I've seen Captain Streck's autopsy report." "It was a massive stroke." "His system overloaded." "His body couldn't stand the strain." "I've seen natalie Streck's autopsy report as well." "That was a suicide." "She killed herself." "I was there." "I saw it." "Yeah, she did, but according to the report... when she killed herself, she was three weeks pregnant." "What did you say?" "She probably conceived... right after her husband left the hospital." "She was pregnant, Mrs. Armacost." "What happened during those two minutes... when they were alone?" "The suits that your husband and Captain Streck wore... had buiIt-in recorders." "Listen to the voices." "Something happened that scared the shit out of them." "What could do that?" "No." "It was an accident." "There was an explosion, and" "No!" "They trainedfor explosions." "They trainedfor accidents." "They trained for hundreds of hours." "If something goes wrong, they have a plan." "They don't panic." "They don't deviate." "They stick to the plan." "That's what they do." "Something happened out there... that these two men had not trainedfor." "What would do that to two highIy-trained astronauts?" "Scare them like that?" "Can you swear to me that he's still your husband?" "Let go of me, Mr. Reese." "Is this man bothering you?" "Yes, he is." "You know, don't you?" "You already know." "Room three-oh-four, Nesbit Arms, Mrs. Armacost." "please, Mrs. Armacost!" "OK." "settle down." "Just settle down." "I'm going to rotate the panel forty-eight degrees." "You got me,alex?" "Spencer,what is that?" "Did youfeeI that?" "Spencer,what is that?" "Oh,Jesus Christ!" "What the hell is that?" "!" "I'm Iookingfor the pregnant woman in twenty-four-F." "jillian,what's wrong?" "He said she must have gotten pregnant right... right after alex got back." "Did he say anything else?" "Oh, God, Nan." "The last thing you need to worry about is thatfreak." "Just have Spencer call someone." "No, Nan." "Spencer can't know about this." "But,jillian, you said he looked crazy." "You have to promise me you won't tell Spencer." "please promise me." "You can't keep these things bottled inside you,jillian." "You're right." "If he bothers me again..." "I'II tell Spencer, OK?" "deal?" "Your table's ready." "Oh, great." "AII right." "Let's go sit down." "Stan?" "This year's grand marshal at the parade of losers?" "He's gone." "We can't all be as lucky as jill here." "Oh, no." "It's me that's lucky." "You all right, honey?" "What's the matter?" "What's the matter, honey?" "You all right?" "Just a little hot." "Why don't you have some water?" "I think I'm gonna go home." "AII right." "feeling better?" "Where's Nan?" "She went out." "It's after midnight." "She's young,jill." "She's havingfun." "Don't you remember when we used to have fun?" "You don't remember that, huh?" "AII right." "What's wrong with you?" "You ever think about what happened to alex?" "Oh, shit." "What happened to natalie?" "I do, all the time." "Those two minutes you could have died." "Why do you want to go back there?" "Why do you want to go back to that?" "Can't you just try for once to be happy?" "Just once?" "I'm gonna go to sleep." "It's JiIIian Armacost." "The autopsy on natalie Streck... what did it say about the baby?" "Not on the phone, Mrs. Armacost." "No,you don't understand." "You have to tell me." "What did natalie's autopsy say about the baby?" "Babies." "What?" "natalie Streck was pregnant with twins, Mrs. Armacost." "Oh, my God." "What's happening to me?" "You are,too, aren't you?" "Pregnant with his twins?" "natalie's babies..." "What did the autopsy say about them?" "There's something I..." "I need to show you, Mrs. Armacost." "Something you need to see." "Do you know the story of the princess... whose beloved prince dies in battle?" "Mrs. Armacost, I have something you need to see." "Do you understand me?" "The enemy prince... after overrunning the castle... finds the princess andforces himself upon her." "Months later, the princess is with child." "But whose?" "It's either the child of her enemy... the man that killed her husband... the man that raped her... in which case, she'II kill herself and the child... or it's the child of her prince..." "the only thing she has left of him... a part of him still alive within her... kept safe inside her... in which case..." "But how would she know until it was too late?" "How will she know... until the child is born and she can see its eyes?" "Meet me right now." "Somewhere public." "Leave your apartment." "Meet me now." "I thought that was you." "I was standing over there across the street... and I said to myself, "Now, is that Sherman Reese?"" "Nice to see you." "Commander Armacost." "Yeah." "Are you in town on official business?" "I'm not with NASA anymore." "You know what?" "You know what?" "I heard that." "I heard that, and I thought... it was one of them nasty agency rumors." "well, listen... if you need a recommendation, don't hesitate... because maybe I can help you out." "well, I appreciate that." "It's real weird running into you... 'cause the thing of it is, I was just thinking about you." "I was thinking about them tests you wanted to run on me... you know, after alex died." "If you got a couple of minutes right now... we can go down, have a cup of coffee or something." "actually, I got to" "Oh, no, come on, now, Sherman." "You're a man of leisure." "You ain't got nothing but time, do you?" "Come on." "Yeah, it's nice to see you." "AImostforgot your satchel, Mr. Reese." "I got it." "You were the only one who knew, Nan." "I asked you not to tell him." "I didn't, OK?" "What were you talking about last night when I was sleeping?" "We were just talking." "About what?" "Just talking,jillian." "Look, don't do this." "It's not goodfor you." "Where did you go last night?" "will you listen to yourself?" "Where did you go?" "!" "Look,jillian, I Iove you, OK?" "And Spencer loves you." "We all do so much." "Spencer was there." "Nan, Spencer was there with Reese... and you were the only one who knew, Nan." "How did he know unless you told him?" "!" "You promised me!" "jillian, I Iove you... but I'm not going to do this with you." "Do what with me?" "Come back, Nan." "Nan, come back!" "Don't leave, Nan!" "Shit!" "hello." "Nesbit Arms." "Mr. Reese in room three-oh-four." "There's no answer in room three-oh-four." "Down came the rain" "And washed the spider out" "Out came the sun" "And dried up all the rain" "And the itsy-bitsy spider" "climbed up the spout again" "Oh, God." "Are you OK?" "It's like a joke, right?" "But if you are watching this tape..." "I didn't get to that meeting." "If you are watching this tape, Mrs. Armacost..." "I'm probably fucking dead!" "This is my backup." "That's what they taught us at NASA." "always have a backup system." "I'm not crazy." "I wish I was." "I prayed I was." "I know I'm not." "You might think you're crazy." "How could you not?" "always have a backup." "You're going to hear two voices on this tape." "One is your husband's and the other Captain Streck." "I'm gonna rotate the panel forty-eight degrees..." "This line is your husband's voice." "This line is Captain Streck's." "Spencer,what is that?" "What the fuck" "Jesus Christ!" "What the hell is that?" "!" "Two voices, but three lines." "There's something else on the tape." "Something beyond our range of hearing... but I translated it." "I had to hear it... and this... is what it sounds like." "NASA said that it's static..." "It's not static." "...caused by the explosion of the satellite... static buildup in their suits, but it's not static." "I tracked it." "It is not static." "Not static." "It's notfrom their suits, the satellite, or shuttle." "It's notfrom Earth, either." "Two minutes--that's all there is." "That's all it took." "If you wanted to come here from very,very far away... maybe you wouldn't have to travel in a ship." "Maybe you could travel in a transmission... at the speed of light, Iike a thought." "Just wait... for two of us to be up there." "Two of us... in orbit, near a target." "Something to aim at, Iike the satellite." "Two of us beyond suspicion." "Heroes, aII-Americans." "Waitfor them... then erase them like a tape and record your own message." "He's not your husband anymore." "He's not." "What?" "The computer that runs this airpIane-- it's not there." "It hasn't been designed yet... but it's supposed to go..." "right here in the cockpit... right where the pilots are supposed to be." "Two computers that work off each other... thatfeed off each other." "Twins." "Twin computers." "Twins, Mrs. Armacost." "What do you think you have inside of you?" "What do you think he put there?" "What are they going to be?" "They going to be pilots, honey." "Just like theirfather." "What's the matter?" "Did I scare you?" "I didn't hear you come in." "Listen, I came home, 'cause..." "IfeIt badfor you." "Thatfight with Nan,you know." "Why don't tell me what it was about?" "Just sister stuff." "Have you heardfrom her?" "well..." "I'm sure she'II call you." "You're trembling." "I am?" "I'm a little cold." "You know what I did?" "I brought something home I believe's gonna cheer you up." "What do you think?" "Pop it in." "Were you watching something?" "It's a-- it's a pregnancy video." "well, maybe we should watch it together." "Let's watch the movie." "You sure?" "AII right." "Why are you building that plane?" "What's that?" "Why do you have to build that plane?" "It's a contract,jill." "And besides..." "I didn't add half as much as Jackson said I did." "They got some real sharp engineers over there." "Come here." "Mmm, back here." "Come on." "I know what you're thinking." "Don't you worry." "Everything's gonna be justfine." "Yeah,these pesky goddamn satellites." "I'm gonna rotate the panel forty-eight degrees." "You got me,alex?" "Spencer,what is that?" "Did youfeeI that?" "Spencer,what is that?" "What the fuck" "Jesus Christ!" "What the hell is that?" "!" "Must have dozed off." "Were you dreaming?" "No." "Just sleeping." "You weren't dreaming?" "I wasn't dreaming'." "Were you?" "My caterer gets them from the French Caribbean." "The French are so much more advanced in this way." "Now, listen,with these... all sales are final." "Are you sure this is the way you want to go?" "Now,when you get home... you take both pills and then go to bed." "It's gonna be quite a bit of vile cramping'... but as soon as you start spotting'... it goes reaIfast." "And Spencer won't know?" "If he's anything like the rest... he'II think you had a miscarriage... and he'II go out and buy you a bracelet." "Now, don't beat yourself up about this, sweetheart." "I mean, it's not as if any of this means anything." "There's a little bit of pain... and then it's over." "Oh, God." "I can't." "Oh, God." "I can't do it." "It's gonna be really bad." "I'm so sorry." "You'II understand." "I have to." "Wait." "Just... a little pain." "Just..." "And then it's over." "They're just babies." "I can't do it." "Oh, God." "I can't do it." "Oh, help me!" "No." "Don't do that." "Oh, God, stop it." "He's gonna..." "They're just--they're..." "Oh, God, no." "What were you gonna do to 'em?" "No,you heard them." "Oh, God." "What were you gonna do?" "!" "Nothing." "jill...please." "Let's just calm down and talk about this, OK?" "Come on, now, honey." "Where you gonna go,jill?" "Don't talk." "Don't say a word, honey." "You're fine." "You're fine now." "They're still inside you,jill." "They're right where they need to be... and we're not ever gonna mention what you tried to do... what you tried to do with them pills, OK?" "Doesn't exist." "Never happened,jillian." "I don't want to hear a peep out of you." "You hear me?" "I Iove you so much." "I don't know what I'd do... if anything ever happened to you or the babies." "Now,you just keep quiet, and you rest." "I'm here with you." "I'm always gonna be here, jill, always." "You sleep." "Good girl." "I don't want to fight with you,JiIIy." "There's something wrong, Nan." "There's not." "Doctor says you can go home any day." "No." "Something's wrong... with Spencer... and the twins." "Hey, it's just this place." "No." "He did something to me, Nan... and I didn't tell you." "jillian, it's just being in the hospital... that makes youfeeI this way." "I know that you hate it here... but we're gonna take you home soon... and we're all gonna take care of you." "You?" "Yeah, of course me." "Me, Spencer, all of us." "Oh, God." "I'm so scared." "Something horrible is happening... to me... and the babies." "I don't know what's happening." "tell me,jillian,what is it?" "He..." "He's hiding inside me." "Hiding... inside me." "I think she's awake, Mr. Armacost." "tell me something,jill." "If the doctors... had any idea what you were thinking... you know,them awful... dark thoughts... what do you think they'd do?" "They'd lock me up." "Lock you up?" "They'd chain you to the wall,jillian." "Yeah, put you back in that hospital." "You want that to happen?" "I know you don't want that." "well...we ain't gonna let 'em, are we?" "'Cause we're gonna be strong." "We're gonna be strong." "Together." "We're gonna be strong for ourfamiIy." "We're connected now." "YoufeeI me inside there where it's safe, don't you?" "See?" "I Iive here." "We're one." "Why do you have Sherman Reese's bag?" "What did you do to my sister?" "Who are you?" "What the hell are you doing?" "Let go of me!" "jillian!" "help!" "Washington Square Park." "What?" "Go." "Go!" "But it is red, missis." "I don't care!" "Just go!" "But, missis, I cannot." "will you go?" "!" "You don't understand!" "please." "I cannot." "Captain alex Streck died last night at eightfifty-five." "Cause of death has been determined... to have been a massive stroke... what the surgeons are calling a severe insult to the brain." "He's not your husband anymore." "welcome back, Mrs. A." "Good morning, Mr. A." "Jesus fuckin' Christ,jill." "Stay away from me." "Why are you doing this to me?" "I said stay... away from me." "Who are you?" "Who am I?" "I'm the only person in the world who ever gave a fuck about you." "I'm the one that gave you a reason to breathe." "I'm every single fuckin' moment ever mattered in your life." "No,you're not." "I don't even know you." "No?" "well..." "I'II tell you what." "There was a time I remember when I was about to go up... and you begged me not to." "You remember how scared you were?" "And I told you then... that I was gonna bring you back a little piece of heaven." "Then you cried." "You remember that?" "well,fuckin' a!" "I did!" "What do you think's inside you?" "I gave you heaven." "No,you didn't." "You're not Spencer." "It don't got to be like this, honey." "please, come on, now." "Step out of that water." "please, baby, get out of that water." "Come on." "Oh, my God." "please." "Oh, my God." "You killed my sister." "You killed my husband." "I did." "And then Ifucked his wife." "I Iive there. forever." "No,you don't." "I Iive there." "No,you don't!" "Ready for yourfirst day of school?" "Ready." "Wait." "There's an apple in there, and I want you guys to eat it." "No trading." "Promise?" "Promise." "OK." "Give me a kiss." "Go, go, go, go, go." "Be good." "What do you think they'II be when they grow up?" "Grow up?" "Give them some time, Susan." "It's theirfirst day of school." "I think... they're gonna be pilots." "Just like theirfather." "Stepfather." "You're theirfather now."