"Linda?" "Captain?" "You okay?" " I'm good." " Colonel Porter's here." "Send him in." "Hey, Ben, you out here?" "You're gonna miss lunch!" "Look at this." "I remember when your idea of exercising was reorganizing dad's bookshelves." "Two hours and 40 minutes?" "What, are you padding your stats?" "Must have hit the button before I came out." "Everything's all right?" "Yeah." "Sure." "Let's eat." "Just done a perimeter review of your preparations," "You've both done a hell of a job keeping your troops motivated." "2nd Mass looks like it's locked and loaded." "The Skitters know where we are." "The smart move now is to stay one step ahead." "Where do we stand right now?" "So, we scouted the roads west of Gardner." "As of last night, they were all still clear." "Dan, when's the last time you slept?" "I'm fine." "That wasn't the question." "It's not like anybody's getting any rack time around here." "Tom's right." "School's compromised." "We need to pull up stakes." "Most times I'd agree, but the situation on the ground has changed." "Spotters tell me Skitters are pulling back." "They're converging on that structure over Boston." "Regrouping." "Clearing the field of battle?" "Could be the first step in an offensive." "I've been in contact with the resistance in LA and Chicago." "It's the same story all over, and we're not waiting for them to make the next move." "The timetable for the coordinated attack on that structure has been moved up." "In four days, we're taking this war to them." "All right." " Four days, that's very short notice." " Can't afford any delay." "Every time these bastards change tactics on us, we end up getting hurt bad." "Listen, Tom, I want you to take a scout into the city tomorrow." "Identify secure routes for your vehicles, give me one last good eyeball recon on that structure." "Downtown's a long haul." " We've got to have units closer in." " We did have units closer in." "7th Mass started to pull back the aliens hit them hard." "Clayton may have been a son of a bitch, but he wasn't lying about the 7th." " They're gone?" " Yep." "And we've lost contact with the 4th and the 5th." "But the attack plan remains the same, four units, one assigned to each leg of the structure." "We blow those demo charges simultaneously, the structure collapses." "Which brings me to the issue of demo and high explosives." "How we doing?" "The raw materials aren't a problem, but we've stalled on the build." "Our people don't have the most expertise in the making of... bombs." "Something that I normally take comfort in." "We might have caught a break." "How's the patient?" "Recovering." "And reminding me every day why I specialized in pediatrics." "Desperate times, desperate measures." "Who the hell is this?" "Name's Pope." "You must be Porter." "I'd stand and salute, but..." "Isn't he the ex-con that fired on your unit?" "That is so, three weeks ago." "Save the bull." "Tell him what you told me." "I hear you're looking to drive a truckload of high-test into that Skitter palace downtown." "That sounds like one tricky piece of demolition work." " You know something about demolition?" " A thing or two." " You know, around the water cooler." " That makes you some kind of expert?" "Around my water cooler?" "Yes, it does." "Listen, chief, you do this thing wrong, odds are you're gonna blow up your little scout troop long before you ever roll into downtown Boston." "You understand that?" "Somebody give me one reason why we need to trust this guy." "We shouldn't." "Other than he came back for Hal and Matt, he makes bread, and we don't have a lot of options." "All right, Pope." "Convince me." "Everything I know was shown by an ex-marine, used to live in Dorchester." "What made you draw this?" "It's art therapy." "Therapy?" "I asked Rick to sketch what he was thinking." "Sometimes it can help kids who've been in a traumatic experience get their feelings out." "What made you draw this?" "I'm talking to you." "He knows a thing or two about demolitions, but he's design only." "I don't want him anywhere near the raw materials." " Right." " And he's under guard at all times." "You two get those damn demolition charges made." "Take it." "Take it." " All right, all right." "All right!" " It's okay, it's okay." "What's with the Victrola?" "It's a radio transmitter." "Scouts found it at a community college." "These pre-transistor types last forever." "Great." "Maybe you can get NPR on that thing, and we can bore the aliens to death." "It's not supposed to kill them." "Well, I'm officially not interested, but somebody's got a death wish, 'cause these bomb-making formulas are a joke." "Look at this crap." "These ratios are all wrong." "You may have sold the Colonel, but I am not buying this "Go, team!" act." "Guys like you don't stick their necks out for nothing." "That's where you're wrong, Scotty boy." "See, this is all about me." "There's nothing on this Earth I like more than wasting Skitters, except not blowing my head off while doin' it." "I never claimed to be a demolition expert." "Not much on housekeeping, either." "This is one hell of a Mech collection you got here." "Well, they've been cutting a hell of a swath." "Our bullets just bounce off, and theirs," "I don't know, they can just rip right through an engine block." "So I thought I would just crack this one open and..." "All right..." "Talk to Deadwood over there." "It's okay." "I gotta go." "We're off to a hell of a start." "Why don't you roll "Radio free Europe" there into the hallway and let me play around with the hard stuff?" "Matt, what are you doing out here?" "I was working with Uncle Scott when that guy Pope showed up." "Look..." "I know that you want to help, but I want you to stay away from Pope." "He knows how to kill the Skitters, Dad." "I want to fight, too!" "I know you do, but not with him and not today." "I gotta go." "I'll be back as soon as I can." "I know that "Weight of the world" look, Dad." "What's up?" "What's not?" "The last couple days, have either one of you guys noticed anything different about Weaver?" "He's been different since I met him." "Why?" "Yesterday he kind of laid into Rick for no reason at all." "I don't think he's slept in a couple days, and sometimes when you're tired..." "You what?" "Go ahead." "I want to hear this." "You don't always make the best decisions." "And I'm not the only one who's noticed." "But you're the one who's questioning my ability to lead." " I never said that." " Good." "Dai, you're relieved!" "I'm taking your spot on the scout." "Sure that's a good idea?" "You want to stay here and mind the fort, be my guest." "The attack's in three days." "Something happens to me, the 2nd Mass would go on." "We can't exactly afford to lose you." "You know anything about load-bearing dynamics, gauging structural integrity?" "No." "I had a construction business after the service." "Knowing where to hit this thing is just as important as how." "So he's a contractor." "Must have been a lot of fun on a remodel." "Did you want to see me, Dr. Glass?" "Ben, come in." "It's gonna sound like I'm joking, but take two and see me in the morning." "Thanks." "Everything okay?" "Strictly a follow-up." "It's part of the comprehensive package." "Have you been having any pain, notice any changes?" "No." "I'm fine." "I'm okay." "Are they going away?" "I saw one of the other kids, and his have almost disappeared." "I know." "So how come I'm so different?" "Well, it's hard to say." "You and Rick were harnessed months longer than the others." "Maybe it just takes a little longer with you." "Wait." "Hold still a second." "I want to check something." "Tell me if you feel this." "Anything?" " Now?" " No." "Is something wrong?" "It's okay." "Go ahead and get dressed." " I thought he was getting better, too." " He is, physically." "The truth is, with his father gone, there isn't a place for him anymore." "Because he was harnessed, like me." "Don't lie." "I know they're afraid of us." "A few maybe, but not everyone." "What worries me most is Rick's attitude." "He never talks about his father." "It's like his death barely registered." "My dad said soldiers get this thing, a thousand-yard stare." "Maybe I could to talk to him." "I think that would be great." "What Rick needs more than anything now is a friend." " What do you think it's for?" " It's hard to say." "That flat space on top kind of reminds me of an aircraft carrier." "Whatever it is, it's not impenetrable." "They're using basic construction techniques." "Earth materials." "Steel rebar, concrete... copper wire." "It's like what the harnessed kids were going after, that scrap metal." "Bastards might be from outer space, but their engineering is strictly architecture 101." "Get close enough, we can kill 'em." "I like the sound of that." "Hey, Dad." "Look at that south base right there." "See where the Skitters are working?" "I think I see somebody with them." " Something's got their attention." " Onto the right." "What is that?" "What the..." "What the hell, man?" " Who do you think they are?" " I don't know." "That was close." "Let's get back to the bikes." "I used to drive this neighborhood every day." "We had a place in Allston, just off Royal, right across the river." "First these Skitters and Mechs, and now these humanoid things." " You think they're anything like us?" " No, not like us." "Within any military hierarchy, you've got troops in the field, and then you've got command." "Up until this point, we've assumed the Skitters were command." "Maybe we were wrong." "Even if we were, it doesn't change anything." "Not tactically, but what worries me is that this is the first time we've seen them." " Why is that a problem?" " Could mean they were hanging back, waiting until it was safe before showing themselves." "They think that they've already won." " Hey, Dad." " I see it." "If they're following us, we're gonna take them to the 2nd Mass." "On me." "Go on, get out of here, before I blow your damn heads off!" " We're not gonna hurt you!" " That's what they all say." " How do I know you're not with them?" " Do we look like Skitters?" "You know, it's not spacemen that bother me." "It's the human trash that are tearing up this city, stealing everything that's not nailed down!" "We're with the resistance!" "We could help you!" "Help, I don't need." "You want to talk?" "Right, let's talk." "I'm Tom Mason." "That's my son Hal and our commanding officer, Captain Weaver." "Sonja." "Sonja Renken." "This would go a whole lot smoother if you'd lower your weapon." "I have to admit, you don't seem like those others." "Others?" " How long you been out here?" " I never left." "You can come in if you'd like." "We don't have time for this." "Well, if it's spacemen you want, I've been keeping my eye on them, too." "It's just around the corner, 2740." "First floor, apartment 1D." "Thank you." "Doesn't seem right, just leaving her here." "Our mission has to take priority, and this could be a trap." "Or an opportunity, Porter sends us after information on the structure." "This woman's been living next to it for months." "Or she might just be some crazy woman, living by herself." "She survived the invasion, got the drop on three fighters..." "We should all be so crazy." "All right." "You and Hal go in, but watch yourselves." "If the building's clear, find out what she knows." "What about you?" "I'll stand watch." "I see any incoming," "I'll fire a warning shot." "Unbelievable." "Where's the sense of style, stagecraft?" "What do you want?" "I left my backpack." "How do you know so much about bombs anyway?" "Did you go to school?" "Yeah, I did the four-year program at Cochran Correctional." "You know, your old man finds out you're hanging with me, you're liable to discover the true meaning of the word "corporal punishment"." "That's after he shoots me." "I know." "He told me to stay away." "Don't worry, kid." "Old Sparky here is as dead as dead gets." "It still scares me." "Yeah?" "Why?" "Because they kill people." "Kid, a lot of things kill people." "Not like this." "I still have nightmares about them... taking away Ben, or hurting mom." "I want to be brave... like dad and Hal..." "like you." "But I'm scared all the time." "It ain't the Boogeyman, kid." "It's just a pile of rock-'em, sock-'em junk." "Look." "It's got gears, bearings, servos..." "I wouldn't be surprised if there's a "made in Japan" sticker in there." "This..." "This is interesting." "What is it?" "It's a Mech bullet." " It looks like ours." " It is." ".44 caliber." "I'm betting these scaly maggots, they go around, they raid all the military ammo dumps worldwide for the shells, then they convert 'em for their robocops." "Turns out our alien friends are big on recycling." "The slug, now that's the interesting part, it's made out of Mech-metal." "It's kind of like the depleted uranium the army uses for tank busters, only way nastier." "I wish we could use these against them." "Out of the mouths of babes." "We got lucky, they found some Fruit Loops still in the plastic." "I love that sugar rush." "It bothers you, doesn't it?" "The way they're looking at us." "I try not to think about it." "They don't understand yet... but they will." "I know you must be hurting after what happened to your dad, and if you ever want to talk about it or..." "It doesn't matter now." "He was a part of the way I was before." "Before?" "Like with the Skitters?" "Because that's over." "You know that." "The doctors may have removed the harness, but that doesn't mean that they've abandoned us." "We're the lucky ones." "I hate the Skitters!" "I hate what they did to me!" "If I had the chance, I'd kill every last one of them!" "It'll get clearer, I promise." "They love us, Ben, and they will come back for us." "I am sorry that I don't have any milk." "That's okay." "It's actually a lot better than we're used to." "Thank you." "So you found all these supplies yourself?" "Yes." "Over time." "Why?" "A lot of the food stores that we passed on the way in looked a little picked over." "Well, some." "Not all." "We used to have so much fun here." "Joel and Amy, my children, used to play in that courtyard." "The Gibsons on the fourth floor were expert bridge players." "John Hernandez, on eight, loved his football." "They took me away, you know, just for a bit." "The aliens." "To a camp very far from here." "There were so many of us there at first, and then only a few." " How did you get away?" " I didn't, they let me go." "They don't care about someone like me." "But you talked to them?" "Just a little." "Through the children, the ones with the monsters on their necks." "The harnessed kids." "Did they say why they were here, what they wanted from us?" "They wouldn't talk to us about that." "But after what happened to us in the camp," "I know that they don't want us here." "Not any of us." "Is that Weaver?" " You see any ships?" " Nothing on the ground!" "He pulled the sparkplugs." "Where's he going?" "There's no way we can catch him, and he knows it." "I knew something was wrong." "I could have stopped him back at the school." "Captain gives an order, you're supposed to follow it." "I learned that from you." " Where he's going?" " I don't know." "He did say that he had family in Allston." "I thought he lost them back in the attack." "He's never really gone into it, but not knowing can be a powerful incentive." "What did he say across the river, on Royal Street... is that where he said he lived before the attack?" "Are you leaving?" "Just to go look for our friend." " You'll be coming back, though?" " Just as soon as we can." "This is all very mysterious." " Where are we going?" " Just over here." "Something I need you to help me with, it's important you keep it between us." "I've always been good at keeping secrets." "I hope so, because this one's a big one." "What do you think you're gonna find?" "Nothing, I hope." "Are you hanging in there?" "My class was still in basic anatomy when they attacked, so..." "Cadaver research was second year." "Consider this extra credit." "Now what?" "We look inside." "Muscles, bones... circulatory system." "They're not all that different from us." "Different enough." "Hand me a scalpel." "This is what I was afraid of." "The Skitters were harnessed?" "What does that mean?" "That maybe they weren't always Skitters." "It's hard to imagine, but this thing... might have been something else." "This is Royal Street." "And there's his bike out front." " Must have figured we wouldn't find him." " Or he didn't care." "I'll go in and check this out." "Stay here and guard the bikes." "No way." "You don't know what's inside." "I'm gonna back you up." "That's what you're doing." "If this goes south, get back to the 2nd Mass." " No." "I'm not gonna leave you here." " Weaver and I agree on this." "The mission comes first." "Get back to Porter, give him the photos." " All right." " Tell him what we saw at the structure." "Captain?" "I built this myself... every brick." "I can't tell you how many nights we spent out here, under the stars." "Talk to me." "What are we doing here?" "You're looking for your family?" "I lost them a long time before the aliens came." "We'd... how do you say it now... grown apart." "Linda and I split... a year before the attack." "If we're not here for them..." "What is this?" "Mike's son, Rick, drew this." "What is this?" "That's my house, Tom." "Look at that." "It's been eating at me ever since I saw it." "That's not a coincidence." "What if these damn things are planting... planting this inside their heads... to get at me?" "You know what I'm saying?" "Yeah, you're right." "This does look like your house." "Looks like... most of the houses on this block." "I don't think they can read our minds." "But you don't know that." "I saw the blood inside." "Want to tell me about that?" "I came here after the bombs dropped, and I found Linda's fiance outside." "He was badly wounded." "He had been trying to help them when he got hit." "My youngest daughter, Sophia, captured by the Skitters." "Linda and Jeanne were..." "taking cover in a house down the street, and the Mechs opened up on them." "I combed that rubble for a long time, but they were gone." "So I went after Sophia." "You found her?" "I found her." "She was harnessed." "And they had her working at a site near Sudbury." "Pulled her out of there and took her home." "The harness, you tried to take it off of her?" "Yeah." "But those spikes... they were in too deep." "And I couldn't, so..." "You should have told me." "I've never been one for self-pity." "A lot of people had a lot worse things than that happen to them." "Not like that." "I can't believe that when I brought Ben and those other kids back, you didn't..." "I was happy for you, I was happy for you, and I was happy for Mike." "Maybe if I'd waited, huh?" "We can't stay here." "We got to get back." "You've got your boys to fight for." "That's something worth fighting for." "But all I've been living on this whole time..." "I'm just living on revenge!" "It's not good enough!" "It's not good enough!" "And you're right." "I have not been sleeping, but I'm gonna sleep tonight." "I'm gonna sleep in my own bed, which is where I should have been... all along." "You're gonna quit?" "You're giving up?" "We're three days away from the attack." "I'm sorry about what happened, but there are a lot of other lives at stake." "That's a Mech." " Hal's out front." "We got to go!" " You go." "You save yourself and your son." "This is where I belong." "I'm not leaving without you." "I'll draw it in." "Give you and Hal time to retreat." " That's an order!" " And I respectfully decline!" "Two grenades at close range might be enough." "What the..." "Are you with me?" "Let's get this damn thing." " Are you ready with those grenades?" " I'm good." "Tell me when to go." "When I open up, you got three seconds!" "Okay, go, go, go, go!" " Dad!" "You all right?" "Where's Weaver?" " He's still inside." "That was no patrol." "That Mech came straight to Weaver's house." "The only person who knew we were here was that woman Sonja." "That woman gave us up." " You ready to go?" " Damn right." " It's you." " We brought more food." "Have anything to tell us?" "Just as I told you." "You're alone, and everything's fine." "I haven't seen anyone since those people earlier today." "We couldn't get them." "Do you know where they've gone?" " It's Karen, dad!" "They got her!" " We can't help her right now." "We don't know how many of them are there." "We can't leave her here." "She's been coming the last few days." "She has a very pretty face." "Do you know her?" "That's my son's girlfriend." "The aliens took her three weeks ago." "You told them about us, didn't you?" "You gave us up to those things." "But they promised me they wouldn't hurt you." "You believed them, after what they did to you?" "The girl said that they would bring you back." "And then I would have company again the way it used to be before." "They always promise to bring them back." " Who knows how many she's given up?" " It's why they let her go." "It's an old tactic." "You leave a couple friendlies behind like watchdogs, and they pick up the intel that the enemy never could." " They got her for a box of tea." " What are we gonna do now?" "We're gonna take her with us, make sure she doesn't do this to anybody else." "In three days, all this changes." "This place is all she's got." "We take it away from her, we might as well shoot her on the spot." "Gonna be getting light soon." "Got to go." "You're welcome to come along with us." "I don't think so." "I should be here when Amy and Joel come back home." "If you decide to change your mind, we're gonna be heading north." "Heard that Gloucester is clear." "I've heard that that's quite lovely." "I've heard that, too." "We won't be there, that's where the aliens will be looking after the next box of tea." "Anne?" "I've been thinking about it for hours." "I don't see how we can keep this to ourselves." " You don't?" " No." "The others seem to have healed, but Ben and Rick..." "We took the harnesses off." "That should've stopped the process." "We don't know that." "People here are already terrified of these kids." "If this gets out, God only knows what they'll do." "What about Tom?" "I have to tell him." "After everything they went through to get him back, he could still lose Ben." "First chance I get, I'm going after her, Dad." "First chance." "We need to talk about what we're gonna tell Porter." " I'm not asking for any favors." " I'm not offering any." "If the 2nd Mass loses faith in their commander..." "I'll have Dai take the recon photos to Colonel Porter." "I say we tell him about the structure, the creatures, Karen, and the Renken woman." "The rest can stay between you and me." "All right." "You haven't told me what changed your mind about coming back." "These were Linda's." "They were the only pair that she had." "I was in the house a week after the attack, and they were not there." "It tells me she might have come back, that there's a chance that my wife... is still alive." "And maybe my oldest girl." "All right, everybody gather 'round!" "I got a demonstration!" "What the hell is this?" "Come on, everybody!" "Let's go!" "Come on!" "I'm only gonna do this once!" "The score is aliens, one... humans, zero!" "Hell, humans aren't even on the board!" "I leave for one day, look what happens." "I'm just glad you're back." "How did it go?" "It went." "I'll tell you about it later." "Good." "We need to talk." "What's all this?" "Pope just said he wants to show us something." "Look at me when I'm talking to you!" "So, the whole gang's here!" "Good." "I do not want to have to do this twice." "You're supposed to be making bombs, Pope!" "You ever heard of multitasking?" "It's all under control." "It better be, 'cause I'm itching for a reason to put you back behind bars." "What are you doing here?" "You should be in school." "I was working with Pope." "Dad, it is so cool!" "I told you to stay away from him." "He knows how to kill Mechs!" " Why are we losing the war?" " Come on." "Just watch." "Because the bad guys have us outgunned!" "It takes an entire magazine just to put a dent in one of their tin soldiers!" "May I?" "Watch him!" "So that's the way it's been!" "But there's a new sheriff in town!" "It's a standard bullet, only it's got a Mech-metal slug." " That a 45?" " Captain?" "Go ahead." "Are you saying you can make more of these?" "With the right bullet-making tools," "I can melt this stuff down, spit 'em out like gumballs." "I'll also give you something for that 50 cal." "You do that." "We're taking this fight to them!"