"Don't remove it." "I'll bleed to death." "What am I supposed to do?" "You're leaving?" "You and Bixby almost died because that thing came after me." "If anything ever happened to you," "I couldn't live with myself." " That's it." " So what?" "This is good-bye?" "For now." "Hang in there, Michael." "Hang in there." "Let's just try to keep him steady." " He's losing too much blood." " He's gonna be okay." "Get him out of here." "Get him out of here." " I'm right here, Michael." " Come on." "Let's go." " I'm right here." " Just wait out here." "Lannon." "Yeah?" "You're under arrest." "What?" "What for?" "Desertion of duty." "No, I got to be here." "I got to be here." "No." "No." "Michael!" "Michael!" "_" " Front." " Yeah, walk him through on the gate." " Strip." " Forward." "Strip." "No." " Scan him." " Put him down." "Strip." "I said strip!" "You strip, or you go into the hole." "Get him out of here." "Next." "Strip." "What are you looking at?" "Strip." "Okay." "Lannon." "AWOL." "Theft of government property." "You got something against Vega?" " You'll speak when spoken to." " Speak." "And I'm speaking to you." "Throw this piece of shit in solitary." "Let's get him out of here." "Go." "You're alive." "It appears so." "We couldn't stop the bleeding, so I brought you here." "The blade is Empyrean steel." "It should have killed me." "Where is it?" "I don't know." "I never saw it." "We must find that blade." "I need to see Alex." "You need to rest." "I thought I'd lost you." "Would that be such a bad thing?" "Michael." "You deserve better, Becca." "You shouldn't have to live a life cloaked in secrecy." "There are good men in Vega, men you could have a normal life with." "I don't want a good man." "I want a great one, a man who I love." "What makes you think I'm capable of love?" "I know you are." "You must really like her." "Haven't you learned your lesson yet?" "Relax." "I was only trying to scare her." "No doubt you would have been spotted on radar." "Soldiers will be en route." "Oh." "You do like her." "Uriel, enough." "Why are you here?" "You've been keeping something from the rest of us." "What might that be?" "Don't play dumb." "You found the chosen one." "We need to talk, little brother." "Meet me up north." "Bixby." "Hi." "They told me you were finally out of surgery, so I brought you a friend to keep you company." "Cute, huh?" "Yeah." "He was here." "Who was here?" "The chosen one." "Um, when?" "Last night." "He brought in Michael." "He was here in the infirmary?" "Was he all right?" "Soldiers took him in handcuffs." "They have no idea he's the chosen one." "Hi." "Excuse me." "Okay." "Um, so I have to go now, but I am gonna come back, and I'm gonna check on you." "You are gonna feel so much better real soon, okay?" "He's gonna look after you." "Okay." "You look much better today." "You'll be going home soon." "You're all set, Senator Frost." "Thank you." "May the Savior bless you." "We have a long agenda." "Let's begin with Senator Blake's proposal for increased defense spending." "Actually, General, all this time, money, and energy might be put to better use if the chosen one would simply reveal himself." "Might make our defense budget obsolete." "Well, yes, and if the tooth fairy should visit our pillows tonight, that would solve our budget issues too." "Moving on." "I'd rather not." "We're in a crisis, Frost." "Please." "Rumor has it that the child is here in Vega." "Our time of waiting may well be over." "Back to business." "Yes, Senator Frost is right." "The chosen one is here." "It's me." "Your hope is inspirational as always, Senator." "Let's keep our prayers in our hearts and move on with the business of running Vega." " Hear, hear." " Agreed." "I cede the floor." "You ordered Furiad to kill me." "Oh, I've wanted to, even dreamed about it, but good old Furiad acted on his own." "So hard to control that temper of his." "Well, it's getting increasingly hard to control mine." "Boys, calm down." "Take a deep breath." "It's time for talk, not a fight." "You should know better than to stick us in the same room." "First off, you, kill all the humans you want, but when it comes to Michael, you don't touch him." "I told you I had nothing to do with the attack." "Furiad's your soldier, and he almost killed our brother, although I don't blame him." "How could you keep the child a secret from us?" "An odd question coming from the sister who won't tell us where she's been for the last 25 years." "Father's markings were meant for all of us, not just you." "I had to protect him from Gabriel." "Didn't Father teach us to share our toys?" "Quiet, Gabriel." "You idiots have fought a thousand times, but never like this." "You've got to end it." "You could end it." "Is that why you're gracing us with your presence, Uriel?" "You've finally chosen a side." "Uriel, you love mankind as much as I do, so protect them." "I'm here to remind you we're all we've got left." "That's why I never choose sides." "I love you both." "Even Michael?" "Who spent the last two decades soaking his steel in the blood of angels?" "Don't pretend you care about the eight-balls." "You use them as cannon fodder." "What's that supposed to mean?" "Our brother's learned a new trick." "He can possess the eight-balls." "That's disgusting." "It's no different than what Michael does with the child." "I've never forced him to do anything." "But you will." "Does the child know about your colorful past?" "Is that a threat?" "I'm taking the high road, waiting for the child to find his true nature and come to me on his own, like he's destined to do." "Stay away from him, Gabriel." "Enjoy some quality time with the boy while you can." "_" "Lannon." "You got a visitor." "What?" "You can leave us now." "Lady Riesen, you have no idea what this man is capable of." "I'm okay." "Close it up." "Claire." "What did they do to you, Alex?" "Nothing I didn't deserve." "I had to keep the tattoos hidden." "I wouldn't have even known you were here if it wasn't for Bixby." "How is she?" "She's okay." " And Michael?" " Yeah, he's fine." "Listen, Alex, I'm gonna speak to my dad, and I'm gonna get you out of here, okay?" "No." "No." "It's safer if I'm in here." "People around me get hurt." "You, Bix, Michael." "I don't want to find out who's next." "So when Bixby asks to see you, what... what do you want me to say to her?" "You tell her to always listen to her Aunt Claire, and you tell her I miss her." "Why don't you just write her a letter, Alex?" "You know, like your dad did for you." "That was different." "How?" " Release him." " Yes, ma'am." "Has my company really been that unpleasant?" "No, not at all." "Then stop watching for your shift change and come join me for a drink." "He keeps the good stuff at the back." "You're not like other soldiers, are you, Sergeant?" "No, I'm not." "I have a functioning brain, ma'am." "Yes, but there's something else." "Something deep inside." "I'm intuitive." "Makes me a shrewd negotiator." "I know when someone's hiding something, and you, my dear, are guilty as charged." "All right, you really want to know?" "I'm scared of heights." "Hmm." "I understand if you don't want to share." "I'm from Helena, after all." "Happy drinking." "Fingers crossed Whele doesn't feed you to his lions." "You know, when I eventually return home," "I'll need someone at my side to protect my interests." "Why would I ever leave Vega?" "Why would you ever stay?" "Here you go, sweetie." "Enjoy." "Thank you." "Alex." "Bix." "Hey." "Easy, easy." "You'll pop your stitches." "What flavor did they stick you with?" "Red." "You know, there used to be more colors." "What did they taste like?" "Red." "It's not your fault." "Yeah, it is." "It is my fault." "Here." "I saved an extra." "You take it." "All right." "They don't make it how they used to." "Hey." "Frost has been begging to show off this irrigation system for weeks." "Where's the rest of the senate?" "It's time the three of us had a private conversation." "Oh, this isn't about more silly rumors, is it?" "You know I've never been a religious man, never believed in anything I couldn't see with my own eyes." "Then one day a being came down from the sky with wings on his back, came to our defense, protected our city, told us he'd saved a baby, and that baby would one day save us all." "That hope is what got us through the war, what gets me through every day, what gives so many people in this city something to live for." "I'm sorry to disappoint you, Thomas, but we're the only ones here." "Don't lie to me, Edward." "I know that the chosen one's here and that you're hiding him because you know that once the people have their Savior, your power means nothing." "Oh, Frost, come on." "Haven't we been through this?" "Don't patronize me, David." "A little girl in the infirmary told his daughter that the chosen one had been arrested." "And Claire Riesen seemed to know exactly who he was." "What's that in your hand?" "This is a wireless control unit." "It has a biometric lock that responds only to my thumbprint." "Covers the entire tower." "I can lock all the doors, open the irrigation tanks, all of them," "600,000 gallons of water rushing into the tower all at once." "We'll drown." "All the crops will be destroyed." "The people of Vega will starve." "What is it you want?" "I want to meet the chosen one." "Wait, she asked you to go back to Helena?" "Um, not in so many words." "Word of advice, run." "Ethan." "The woman had a body in a box delivered to her doorstep." "Don't worry about me." "Yeah, I'm sure that's what the woman in the box said." "You know what I think?" "I think a strong, regal woman like Madam Arika," "I think she threatens you." "Huh?" "I think you're right." "Besides, what good am I really doing here anyways?" "Noma, you saved my ass at least once." "Lannon, where you been, bro?" "Been looking all over for you." "Took a drive." "Needed to clear my head." "I get it." "Uh, I don't." "What's going on, guys?" " It's nothing." " It's nothing." "You go outside the walls, disappear for an entire day to clear your head, and you're all, "I get it."" "Guys, come on, that's not nothing." "Ethan, I've been seeing Claire Riesen." "As in the same Claire Riesen whose father orders executions?" "All right, let's saddle up." "Hostage situation at the agri-tower in progress." "Prep for a raid." "We're up in five." "What's going on, Lieutenant?" "Our entire food supply is at risk of being destroyed, as well as the lives of the general and Consul Whele." "Look alive, troops." "We can't simply walk in there and start shooting." "We need an executive order from Riesen." "Well, he's not here." "The message Frost sent us made it clear that all security systems in the agri-tower have been placed on lockdown." "So call in the engineer and unlock them." "Frost is that engineer." "Our grains are in that tower." "The food supply is at risk." "We have no choice but to use force." "Don't you see that?" "Becca, I got your message." "Is my father okay?" "He's fine, Claire." "By the power vested in me as Second Consul," "I appoint you Lady of the City Pro Tem." "Oh." "Please take a seat." "So what are we doing?" "What's our response?" "The corps are in a holding pattern, awaiting our decision to enter and liberate the hostages." "What are Senator Frost's demands?" "He's gonna flood the tower, unless he's given an audience with the chosen one." "What?" "Let's vote on sending the corps in." "Yes." "No." "Wait." "Before we vote, I'd like a moment to confer with my consuls." "Frost, if you know me at all, you know the food supply for this city is not negotiable." "Oh, I do know you." "I know both of you." "And I can't allow a few politicians to control the destiny of the entire human race just because they feel their grip on power is threatened." "Why would we be threatened by a myth?" "Why would Gabriel attack Vega after ten years of peace?" "Look, I know what it's like to believe something so strongly that you're... you're blinded, Thomas." "It blinds you to the simple fact that your faith is nothing but a crutch." "It's a band-aid for your own fears." "Belief in something doesn't make it real, nor will it save you." "My faith is made of stronger stuff than dime-store televangelism, David." "I know that he will save the human race and that he will lead us against these monsters." "These monsters you're talking about, they haunt my dreams to this day." "I..." "I try to make sense of it, but for the life of me, I can't." "But after all my long nights, after all my heartache, you know what I came to realize?" "The chosen one, it's us." "It's the people of Vega." "That's what's gonna save us." "I wish that were true." "You have 30 minutes to bring him to me." "You know how much I respect you, but stalling any longer is gonna get both our fathers killed." "William, raiding the tower will scare Frost into releasing the water." "The only alternative is to give him what he wants." "Yes." "Would that be such a bad thing?" "I think the people of Vega deserve to know he's finally arrived." "Claire, I share your faith, I do, but Alex's safety is far more important." "What if things go sideways and Frost pulls the trigger?" "He'll kill both our fathers and the chosen one in the process." "What then?" "Right now, we need to vote on sending in the corps." "It's our only option." "They can be there in 15 minutes." "Fine." "Fine." "I give you permission to cast my vote with yours." "Excuse me." "Claire, where are you going?" "We have to vote." "It's always been like this with the two of you, fighting over a world that was never even created for us." "How could Father just desert us like this?" "Uriel, be patient." "He will return." "How do you know?" "I know." "I miss him." "Sister." "Train your chosen one." "Unlock the markings and help him fulfill his destiny, and I promise, you won't face Gabriel alone." "You'll have my sword." "Thank you." "Don't thank me." "They were once Father's greatest creation." "Odds are the senate is authorizing an armed assault as we speak." "What, risk both of us and the tomatoes?" "Come on, Edward, you know Thorn needs the kids to pass that vote, and we both know they are not up to the task." "It's all because of that V-1 runt your daughter took under her wing." "I should have dealt with her when I dealt with those techs." "Look," "Thomas, despite all the unkind things I've said about you behind closed doors... in front of them as well... up until this afternoon," "I've always known you to be a reasonable man." "Look what you're doing here." "Come on." "Let's be reasonable." "Open the doors." "I am tired of being reasonable, David." "Go, go, go!" "Go, go, go, go, go!" "We have confirmation." "Consul Whele is down." "Prepare to move." "I don't get it." "Last time I was on Frost detail, the guy spent all his free time baking." "I got to say, his butterscotch brownies, pretty damn good." "This is a hostage situation." "Frost must want something." "What aren't they telling us?" "Yeah, apparently, the senator's demanding to see the chosen one." "What?" "Yeah." "Crazy, huh?" "The guy's totally lost it." "Cheer up, man." "You know we don't get to do shit like this anymore." "Looks like it missed the artery." "You're gonna live." "Sorry to disappoint you." "I am the one who just got shot." "How come you look like you're gonna drop dead?" "Your heart, huh?" "My heart is fine." "What are you taking for it?" "Pills, for what they're damn worth." "What kind of pills?" "If I could pronounce the name, don't you think I would have damn well said it?" "You know, between the two of us, we've probably beaten death a hundred times, we've resisted the possessions, fought off how many black-eyed beasts, and now it'll probably come to an end at the hands of Thomas Frost." "Crazy son of a bitch." "I wish I could say he was crazy." "Mack, Lannon, Banks, take forward position." " Yes, sir." " Sir." "Gomez, Rogers, O'Neill, take flank." " Sir." " Yes, sir." "You're authorized to terminate the target." "Sir, what about collateral damage, sir?" " The crops are our priority." " Wait." " You heard the order." " Lieutenant." "Lieutenant." "Lieutenant, let me go in." "Get the hell back in line before I kick your ass." "He has my approval." "Sergeant Lannon can negotiate." "Ms. Riesen, with all respect," "I have the orders from the senate." "I'm acting Lady of the City." "This is an executive order." "You and your negotiator have five minutes." "All points, hold position." "They're getting Lannon to do the talking?" "I'm the talker." "Senator Frost, we are complying with your request." "Please back away from the door." "Only one person comes in." "Only one man." "I'm the one you want to see." "I'm the chosen one." "Is this some kind of joke?" "I'm afraid not, sir." "Please, let the general and the consul go, and we'll talk." "You're a V-2." "I've seen you guarding House Riesen." "What did they do, paint those things on you?" "What the hell do you take me for, Edward?" "Just take it easy, Frost." "Come on, Frost." "This is what you wanted." "Sir, please." "Please." "I swear." "I'm the one." "I'm the baby Michael saved." "Prove it." "_" "She died for you." "What did you say?" "She died for you." "Yes, she did." "My Daughter Abby, she died for me." "It was the first night of the war, and because of Abby, I was able to survive." "Please, Senator, turn off the water." "You can change things." "Now we are gonna go outside and let the people know that things are gonna be different now." "We will." "We'll tell everyone." "We'll tell them together." "Please, just turn it off." "Thank you, Savior." "Thank you." "What did you do that for?" "Put your shirt on." "These should help with the pain, but you've got to stay off your feet." "Thank you." "You shouldn't be drinking." "And you shouldn't have sent the corps into the agri-tower." "A remarkably poor decision even for you." "I did what's best for the city." "No, Claire did that by sending in the only man capable of defusing the situation." "You, you let your faith interfere." "You put the life of your precious chosen one before the city, before your own father." "Alex Lannon, he's the one destined to save mankind, not two old men past their prime." "Have fun." "Praise the Mother of All." "David, you could have been killed." "Forgive me if I'm not really in the mood." "You're burning up." "There's a Helenic remedy that'll take the fever down." "I'll have a guard fetch the ingredients." "I'll stick to bourbon." "Wow." "This is the last place I thought I'd find you." "20 years Frost served Vega, one of the city's founding fathers, and now he'll be remembered as a madman." "Mm-mm." "My father has become an expert at rewriting history." "Frost is gonna get a state funeral." "He's gonna be remembered as a hero, a hero who saved the agri-towers from an accidental flood at the cost of his own life." "He didn't die for nothing." "You came forward, Alex." "I had to." "People's lives were at stake." "But when I was in there, these words came to me through my markings." "Those words made Frost believe in me." "Maybe Frost was right." "Maybe the people do deserve to know about you." "I don't know what I'm doing, Claire." "I got lucky this time, but I..." "I don't know what any of this means." "So maybe it's time you start figuring it out." "I'll leave you to it." "Where have you been?" "Family emergency." "Yeah, I had an emergency of my own." "I could have used your help." "Alex, I can help you." "I can teach you, but only if you're willing." "I want to learn... about everything." "_" "What do you want?" "I don't want to fight." "That's never what I wanted with any of this." "I thought I could fix things between you and Michael, but I'm afraid Michael's lost his way." "I've been telling you that for centuries." "Well, now that the chosen one's here," "I can't just sit back and do nothing." "You say you can sway him, that he's fated to you and not our brother." "As Father wanted it." "Then prove it to me." "Help him help the humans to their own destruction, and I promise, you won't face Michael alone." "You will have my sword." "Thank you, sister." "You won't feel a thing."