JANUARY 20TH
A
screenplay by Hugh Holub
Copyright 1985, 2007
FADE IN:
EXT.
Wide angle shot of city in northern
Pakistan. Sound of the Call to Prayer.
CUT TO:
The
American government is run by non‑military individuals. Their chain
of command starts with the President, then works downward to the Vice
President, the Speaker of their House of Representatives, and through the
executive cabinet in descending order of importance starting with the Secretary
of State.
The Ayatollah of QUM flips a chart and shows an organizational chart of
the U.S. government's key individuals. The Ayatollah of TEHRAN interrupts. He
is a grandfatherly sort, except for the anger in his eyes.
How many layers of succession do they have?
Sixteen.
If their President dies or is assassinated, the leadership automatically passes
to the Vice President. If he dies, then to the Speaker of the House and
down through the sixteen layers.
Osama
bin Laden, impatiently pounds on the table.
BIN
LADEN
Why are we sitting here getting a schoolboy's lesson in the
American government?
We
would all agree that there would be great glory in blackening the American eye
before the whole world even worse than 9/11. And to do so in such a way as to
leave no question among our Islamic brethren as to where the leadership of the
Islamic World lies.
BIN
LADEN
Continue.
What
would be the result if all 16 of the American civilians in their chain of command
were simultaneously killed? And on world-wide television?
Certainly that cannot possibly be done.
We have reason to question that fact.
(derisively) On what basis?
Qum reaches to a pile of papers in front of
him and pulls out a newspaper clipping from the Washington Post.
According
to this newspaper account, which our people verify is accurate, the Americans
ran a war game last year in which they assumed all their civilian chain of
command had been killed in the first few minutes of World War
The
American are pretty stupid if they would allow something like that to be
published unless they've corrected their problem.
BIN
LADEN
Who
would've believed Nixon would've allowed his newspapers to hound him out of
office. A free press is dangerous.
Laughter.
BIN
LADEN
What are you proposing?
That
we proceed with a plan we have prepared called HEADSMAN in which we
simultaneously assassinate all 16 civilians in the American chain of command.
This is madness.
There is no possible way to kill them all at the same time.
Qum turns out the lights.
First about the potential to achieve the simultaneous untimely
death of all sixteen...
The television monitor comes
alive. The scene on the screen is
the most recent State of the Union speech.
If
you would indulge me for a moment and watch the video tape of an event called
the State of the Union speech in which the President of the United States
speaks to the assembled U.S. government about the condition of their
country.
CUT TO: CLOSEUP ON TV SCREEN.
Scene is in the House of Representatives,
with people milling around, sitting down. ANNOUNCER is identifying key
members of Congress and the Cabinet.
Fifteen of the 16 people in the chain of succession are identified.
Qum turns up the lights and the screen goes
blank.
Every
year, around January 20th, the entire American government gathers in one room.
You said there were sixteen. Only 15 of them were at the speech.
To
ensure the survivability of their civilian government in the event of an
attack, one member of their cabinet in the line of succession is spirited away
to some secret location outside of Washington during the speech.
BIN
LADEN
So
you blow up the room during the speech and kill virtually their entire
government, but still there is one who can launch a retaliation against us.
Qum flips a page on his chart showing the
floor plan of the Capitol Building.
What
we propose is this. We smuggle into the U.S. Capitol Building a low
yield nuclear warhead and detonate it as soon as the speech begins.
BIN
LADEN
And where do we get this nuclear weapon?
We
have purchased one from our Russian friends who also have an interest in
decapitating the American government.
Beginning
a few weeks before the speech we put hunter/killer teams on each of the cabinet
members, and as soon as the one to be hidden away makes his run for cover, we
use one of the American Stinger missiles they so generaously
sold us and blow up his car.
Before
the news of his death reaches the speech, the American government will be
leaderless. Chaos will reign. They will not be able to strike back.
Bin Laden rises. The rest stand. He has a pained
expression.
FADE:
CUT TO:
Large room filled with TV screen consoles
(like NASA Mission Center), large electronic maps on walls. All personnel in uniform. In back
is a glass walled room ‑ The "Eagle's
Nest" ‑ the office of the Commanding General on Duty. The
current duty shift CO is MAJOR GENERAL BRUCE CASTLEBERRY. He is talking to COLONEL WILDER, the Shift
Intelligence Analyst. Castleberry
is a handsome man is his early 50's who looks like he
could star in recruitment commercials. Wilder is dark and brooding.
It
is hard to get used to the quiet. We're buying former Soviet missiles instead
of worrying about tracking them.
WILDER
But there are a thousand tactical warheads running around in
the backs of trucks.
CASTLEBERRY
Who would've thought we'd be trying to track trucks with our
satellites?
WILDER
Knocking them all out is the problem.
CASTLEBERRY
We go from Star Wars to this.
Wilder gestures to the
.
CASTLEBERRY
According
to the monitors. We start believing what we see on those screens in
reality. In reality we really don't know what the hell is going on some
times. Nukes in trucks.
WILDER
The
Army always did want us to just shoot at stuff on the ground, like tanks and
trucks.
How's
Linda?
CASTLEBERRY
She went over to Washington to see Kimberly and Joe.
WILDER
They're still at Fort Meade?
CASTLEBERRY
.
CUT TO:
Tehran's office is large, furnished with
antiques, has an oriental rug on the floor.
Tehran is talking to Qum.
You don't think much of our proposal?
That
depends on whether it will work or not. We think it is a long shot to
kill all 16. Too many things can go wrong.
But
he who seeks glory must take some risk. There is nothing to lose. Even if we
fail to kill them all, we will kill many. Right in their capitol. Before the
eyes of their people. The world will know they are not invincible.
Indeed.
Then you support my proposal?
Let us say we mutually support each other's proposal.
I think we are two of a kind.
CUT TO:
Castleberry is wearing a polo shirt and
slacks and is being interviewed by a nationally
prominent television newscaster, BRANDON. His living room is dominated by a fireplace,
and covers the image of a rustic ranch house with Indian rugs on the floor, a
deer head and hunting rifles on the walls, and leather covered furniture.
Brandon, who looks like a young Walter Cronkite, is interviewing Castleberry
for a special on American military preparedness.
BRANDON
What
the American public wants to know is if the threat of a nuclear war is over now
that the Soviet union is gone?
CASTLEBERRY
There
are still thousands of nuclear weapons. Ironically, we were probably safer with
the Soviet union because they had a very tight command and control structure.
All their nukes were under lock and key and it took orders from Moscow to
launch.
But
now there are other scenarios of limited nuclear attacks, terrorist attacks,
using nuclear weapons the Russians cannot account for.
BRANDON
You mean the Russians have lost nuclear weapons?
CASTLEBERRY
They
deny it. But when you start off with 30,000 of them, and they end up in a half
dozen new countries that can't form a stable government, and some are trading
nukes for wheat, anything is possible.
Certainly we’re not afraid of the Ukraine?
CASTLEBERRY
It is harder than you know.
BRANDON
But what would anyone have to gain by attacking us?
CASTLEBERRY
Remember 9/11.
The cameraman taping the session moves in
closer.
BRANDON
That’s why we went after Saddam.
CASTLEBERRY
People
who want nuclear weapons generally have someone they'd like to use them on. And
there are a lot of countries trying to get their hands on the missing Soviet
weapons. Libya. Korea, Iran, Al Qaeda. And the irony is every time we buy a
gallon of gas made from oil from the Middle East, we are handing over money to
people who want to destroy us. We’re paying for our eventual destruction. No
question they could buy a bomb. And they’re trying to make their own.
BRANDON
But they don't have intercontinental missiles. The best they
could do is attack Israel.
CASTLEBERRY
That's
why Israel has its own nuclear arsenal. If my enemy has a gun, I must have ten
guns. If he has ten tanks, I must have 20.
That was the history of the Cold War. We may be at peace with Russia,
but there are many countries who do not know what the word peace means. They
don’t want peace. They want jihad.
BRANDON
Aren't
you military types just trying to justify keeping all your toys and eating up
the American taxpayer even though it is time to use our wealth for schools and
medical care?
Castleberry pauses, and watches the
cameraman move back to behind Brandon for an "over the shoulder"
camera angle.
CASTLEBERRY
What do you know about world history?
BRANDON
I'm the one supposed to ask the questions.
CASTLEBERRY
Since
the days of the caveman someone has always coveted some else's lands, their
wealth, their rivers, their homes. Their enemies are not human in their minds,
and they will use whatever force they have to exterminate their enemies.
The
only thing that has changed in 10,000 years is we've gotten much more efficient
in killing our enemies.
So
you are saying that there is always going to be someone out there who could
threaten the United States with nuclear attack?
The cameraman moves to a position
immediately in front of Castleberry.
CASTLEBERRY
If
they thought for one second they could destroy us, and get away with it without
our being able to fully retaliate, they'd do it.
BRANDON
But surely millions of people would die and their cities would
be destroyed.
CASTLEBERRY
If
we even knew who to retaliate against. It was convenient to have just one or
two very large enemies. Now they are smaller, but they are more numerous.
BRANDON
Aren't nuclear weapons obsolete?
CASTLEBERRY
Not if you have one.
Off
the record, what did you think about that Post story about what happens to our
chain of command in a if all of civilian leaders get snuffed?
CASTLEBERRY
Off the record. I was the one who said "who
says?".
They both laugh.
CUT TO:
Castleberry is on the phone when GENERAL
ARTHUR enters. Arthur is Castleberry's opposite in appearance‑‑short,
pudgy, bookish. He sits down and waits
for Castleberry to complete his call. Castleberry looks up to the clock
before speaking.
CASTLEBERRY
Early as usual..
ARTHUR
Time flies when you're having fun. Anything important?
CASTLEBERRY
Notta.
ARTHUR
Only on your shift. Excitement I don't need.
CASTLEBERRY
Any word yet on your retirement?
ARTHUR
Next
February for sure. I'm just about burnt out. And it looks like I've
got a nice job with NRM as soon as I hang up my stars.
CASTLEBERRY
This
isn't exactly the most stress‑filled command we have. Twelve hours
in rotation watch on watch sitting in the hot seat if the Syrians attack Israel
again. I hear they’re going to shut this facility down.
ARTHUR
Back
when I was at the Academy I just couldn't wait to go to war. I missed
out. Now I can't wait to get out. They don't make wars like they
used to.
CASTLEBERRY
I
know the feeling. We give our lives to be prepared to fight, and spend
our lives avoiding the fight or
walking away before
we've got a chance to
win. Goddamned politicians.
ARTHUR
The
damned bomb..
CASTLEBERRY
How so?
ARTHUR
Ever
since we used them on Japan, we've had to do our damndest
to not use'em again. We could've won Korea and saved Nam if we'd
been willing to nuke the enemy. But the politicians couldn't do that.
CASTLEBERRY
I
remember one of my first courses at the
Academy. How to drop a hydrogen
bomb. Then three years of why we
could never do this. We even had to practice flight maneuvers to unload
the goods and get the hell out of there before we got caught in the blast wave.
ARTHUR
The bomb ruined the art of war..
CASTLEBERRY
It
took us long enough to figure out having the bomb was no protection and no
alternative to good old fashioned war.
ARTHUR
This far down the road I'm glad I never had to make the
decision to use it.
CASTLEBERRY
I've
still got a few years left on these wings. I hope I don't ever have to
make that decision either. The command is yours. The code for tonight is "Once in a Blue
Moon".
They both stand. Arthur walks around
the desk and sits in Castleberry's chair.
Castleberry puts on his coat and starts towards the door.
ARTHUR
The Command is accepted. Christ where do they think up
the codes.
CASTLEBERRY
The next blue moon is in January so I've been told.
Castleberry leaves. Arthur swivels on his chair and looks out through the glass wall over
the Crystal Room. He is humming "Blue Moon".
CUT TO:
Bin Laden's room is
surprisingly small, with a fireplace, a small writing table, and hard wooden chairs. Tehran and Bin Laden are sitting in the
chairs in front of a roaring fire.
BIN LADEN
We'll see how the rest vote. If there is any
disagreement I will kill the project
Tehran steeples his fingers and stares at
the fire and does not respond.
A fishing boat meets a small dory. A
small object about the size of a hot water heater is transferred from the
fishing boat to the dory.
EXT. NEAR THE COAST.
There is an oblong object beneath a tarp in
the middle of the dory. The men dressed as FISHERMEN are rowing towards
shore.
1ST
FISHERMAN
This is how drugs are smuggled, no?
2ND
FISHERMAN
Who knows.
EXT. IN A DENSELY VEGETATED CHANNEL.
The dory docks at a broken down pier.
Three men dressed as plumbers meet the boat, and lift the object onto the pier,
then load it into a panel truck marked as CAPITOL PLUMBING. The two fisherman change clothes quickly,
into plumber jumpsuits.
1ST
FISHERMAN
So many plumbers. Won't anyone suspect?
PLUMBER
We just tell anyone we are union.
Laughter.
EXT
Capitol Plumbing truck is parked by service
entrance. Plumber is having papers checked by armed CAPITOL POLICEMAN.
POLICEMAN
Where's the hot water heater supposed to go?
PLUMBER
The basement. Next to the cafeteria.
POLICEMAN
I've
been here years and this is the first time I ever heard of a hot water heater
needing replacement.
PLUMBER
Maybe
the only good thing the House does is buy quality hot water heaters.
POLICEMAN
(laughs)
You're probably right. The papers are in order. Take the first
elevator on the left. You need any
help?
PLUMBER
Nope.
The other plumbers get out and unload the
hot water heater.
POLICEMAN
If figures.
PLUMBER
What?
POLICEMAN
Send five men to do the job of two. The government way.
The plumbers are installing the hot water
heater in a very out‑of‑the way place.
EXT.
A new sedan is parked in front of an
expensive townhouse. TV NEWS is painted on the sides of the sedan.
A distinguished looking man exits the townhouse. A cameraman and a
newsman jump out of the sedan and rush up to the distinguished man before he
can get into his car.
The cameraman positions himself to shoot
the scene. The newsman shoves a mike in front of the distinguished
looking man‑‑who is the SECRETARY OF STATE.
NEWSMAN
Mr. Secretary, is it true secret negotiations are under
way for US airbases in Russia?
SECRETARY
OF STATE
No comment. It's seven in the morning. Don't you
ever sleep?
Newsman puts down mike.
NEWSMAN
You know how cutthroat this business is.
SECRETARY
OF STATE
And that's why you camp out all night in front of my house.
The DRIVER of the Secretary's car gets out
and comes over.
DRIVER
I
think the Secretary would appreciate it if you news hounds would go home and
get some sleep.
The Secretary gets into his car, and it
drives off.
The Secretary leans forward to talk to the driver,
a Secret Service Agent doubling as chauffeur, BOB.
SECRETARY
They're getting more determined.
BOB
Too much so.
SECRETARY
I agree. It seems like all of us have a shadow these
days.
BOB
So
we've noticed. It's a new outfit.
Independent. They hang around trying to shoot some footage and
sell it to the cable news people.
SECRETARY
Freelancers.
BOB
They're legit. And not much we can do about them.
If
the lights are on late at the White House they figure something important is
happening.
BOB
Usually that's right.
Check on the backside. They're following us.
SECRETARY
Lose them.
BOB
Not that easy in a big black Cadillac.
SECRETARY
Starting
tomorrow get something less conspicuous.
And change it daily. There's nothing in the Constitution that says
we have to make their job easy.
BOB
Good idea.
Probably should do it for the whole cabinet.
SECRETARY
Suggest it.
The formal cabinet meeting has just ended,
and everyone is sitting or standing around, small‑talking. The
SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR asks the President about tomorrow's
events. Interior looks like a
ranch hand in a suit.
INTERIOR
So
which one of us gets to hide in the hole while you tell the country how wonderful
things really are.
PRESIDENT
You’’ll
soon know.
The Secretary of State overhears and comes
over.
STATE
Not me of course?
PRESIDENT
One
of you goes into the hole
INTERIOR
Who gets the lucky duty?
PRESIDENT
I can only tell you this, it won't be random this time.
STATE
Then
I'll be safe, John. No one would risk leaving the running of the country
to a cowboy. We already did that once. Guess I you should pack your overnight bag.
INTERIOR
Often
times I think us dumb old cowboys have a lot more ability to run this goddamned
country than you blue noses.
PRESIDENT
Gentlemen,
gentlemen. We can't have rancor in our happy little family. By the
way, John, I'm going to use that section about people being a part of the
environment and public lands needing to serve the people. Good lines.
STATE
I sincerely hope you're jesting.
PRESIDENT
I ought to lock both of you in the hole just to see what
happens.
CUT TO:
Tehran is pacing around the room. Qum is watching Al Jezeera. Bin Laden is sitting on a chair and staring
at the wall.
BIN
LADEN
Tomorrow will be the beginning of a new world.
An Islamic World.
CUT TO:
Castleberry and WILDER are punching up
satellite photos of shipping activity off the US East Coast on one of the large
screens.
CASTLEBERRY
So many ships.
WILDER
Trucks. Ships. Next thing you know we'll be spotting for
bicycles.
CASTLEBERRY
What are we looking for?
WILDER
Anything suspicious.
CASTLEBERRY
Something is definitely up.
WILDER
What do you mean?
CASTLEBERRY
My guy at Langley says every Cabinet member has a shadow.
WILDER
I though that was chador.
CUT TO:
EXT. GEORGETOWN. IN FRONT OF STATE'S HOME. MORNING OF JANUARY 20TH.
The Secretary exits
and gets into a nondescript light blue
STATE
They're still there.
BOB
We'll see how determined they are this morning.
STATE
Don't spend too much time. I have an important meeting
downtown.
EXT.
The blue
A large office with an oriental rug on the
floor, and totem poles in each corner. Interior is in the midst of a
small conference. His DRIVER enters.
DRIVER
Mr. Secretary. You have urgent business.
INTERIOR
I do? I don't remember ...
DRIVER
Today you do.
INTERIOR
(mutters an expletives).
EXT.
A green sedan exits the garage and a TV
NEWS VAN falls in behind.
INTERIOR
So I get stuck in the hole?
DRIVER
We have a surprise.
INTERIOR
Surprise?
DRIVER
Isn't
INTERIOR
DRIVER
INTERIOR
I've always wanted to see that installation.
DRIVER
In an hour you will.
INTERIOR
An hour?
DRIVER
The President always gives his staff the best transportation.
Aurora is real.
EXT.
The sedan and the TV NEWS Van are seen
crossing the bridge.
NEWSMAN
We have a bird in flight (to driver).
DRIVER
Wrong direction.
NEWSMAN
Report anyway.
BIN
LADEN
They have their potential leader hidden away. This is
falling apart.
We will have to expend LOOKING GLASS.
Who?
Our best source of information about what the American
military is up to. Someone who likes money more than his country.
Who?
BIN
LADEN
He would be in
Yes.
BIN LADEN
And he would assassinate the secretary?
He would try.
BIN
LADEN
It is worth the loss. Proceed.
FADE OUT:
Members of the House and Senate are
arriving for State of the Union Speech. Zoom in on NETWORK NEWS commentator
in gallery doing pre‑speech commentary.
NETWORK
NEWS
The
President is expected to arrive momentarily. The security for the speech
is extraordinary. Normally one of the cabinet members does not attend to
insure the continuity of the government in the event of a terrorist
attack. Tonight three cabinet members are missing. Secretary of
Defense Kimble is reported to have had a sudden health problem this morning and
is at an undisclosed military hospital. The Secretaries of State and
Interior are probably at the secret emergency command center beneath the Appalachian
Mountains...
Castleberry, Wilder, and Interior are
watching the television coverage of the State of the Union speech in the
Eagle's Nest office.
TV SCREEN
Scene is of President arriving.
On a large screen the President is shown
standing at the podium, and a standing ovation is in the process. The
Speaker of the House is pounding on his gavel to gain order. The President begins the speech.
PRESIDENT
My fellow Americans....
The screen goes blank.
Wilder pulls his service revolver and
shoots Interior in the head. Castleberry grabs for a gun in his drawer and
shoots Wilder. People come rushing
into the room.
TV SCREEN
The network newsman, BRANDON appears on the
screen.
This
is
Castleberry turns towards the main screen
in the
CASTLEBERRY
DEFCON
3 immediately. Activate the National Emergency Communication System.
TV SCREEN.
Transmission from
We have live coverage from
TV SCREEN
Scene of mushroom cloud
rising over
Holy Christ!
Chaotic scene. People rushing to their consoles,
lights flashing everywhere.
CASTLEBERRY
(to Officer) We have a
confirmed nuclear strike on
CASTLEBERRY
The goddamned terrorists did it.
He picks up the red phone.
CASTLEBERRY
(into phone) What's
your status?
EXT. THE PENTAGON
The building looks heavily damaged.
The room is heavily damaged. An
OFFICER is on a red telephone.
(into
phone) We have confirmation of a low
yield nuclear strike on the Capital. All the Indian Chiefs are presumed
dead.
Negative. I am assuming command under Executive Order
295.
TV SCREEN.
Helicopter shot over
We have an unconfirmed report of a nuclear explosion in the
nation's capitol.
CASTLEBERRY
(to Officer) Activate
MASSPATCH. Preempt every communication line in the country.
CASTLEBERRY,
cont’d
(into
red telephone) General Smith. This is Castleberry at Cheyenne. We
have taken a hit in
EXT. SCENE
Panic in the streets. People rushing
to cars. Traffic jams.
CASTLEBERRY
(into
red telephone) Admiral Gates. This
is Castleberry at Cheyenne. Confirmed strike on
The Officer is listening to a headset he is
holding to one ear.
OFFICER
MASSPATCH operational.
TV SCREEN.
Picture is interrupted and Castleberry
appears on screen.
CASTLEBERRY
I
am Major General Bruce Castleberry and I am in the
NETWORK NEWS
They've overridden our broadcast?
DIRECTOR
All networks.
The crew beings to gather around monitor to
watch.
EXT.
Cars are pulling off the road.
Family is listening to radio.
RADIO
Pursuant
to Executive Order 295, I have temporarily assumed the position of Acting
Commander in Chief of the
Castleberry is facing a TV Camera in the
"Eagle's Nest". His back
is to the window overlooking the
Bullshit.
TV SCREEN IN FAMILY LIVING
Family is clustered around television
set. They appear to have been in the midst of packing to flee.
TV SCREEN
CASTLEBERRY
I
am sitting in the
CAMERA PULLS BACK
Scene shows Castleberry with
CASTLEBERRY
You
are seeing exactly what we can see.
We are not involved in a nuclear war. There are no, I repeat, no
missiles launched against the
TV SCREEN.
CASTELBERRY
If
the evil men who did this are watching, I want you to know we know who you
are. I have full command authority to retaliate this instant against you.
CASTLEBERRY
I
repeat, we know who you are and we know you are watching us right now.
You will regret for eternity what you
have done.
Castleberry stands up and faces sideways
towards the
TV SCREEN IN FAMILY LIVING
Family is sitting on floor around tv set.
CASTLEBERRY
Never
in the history of the
Everyone is clustered around monitor on
news set.
TV SCREEN
CASTLEBERRY
As you can plainly see, the attack on
Castleberry points to
CASTLEBERRY
(Cont'd)
The
whole world is watching us now. Our enemies especially are watching us
now. In the next few minutes, over the next few days and weeks, we will
be judged. We are one nation under God. And we must prove what a nation we are.
I
interviewed him recently for the Sunday show. Boy is that tape going to
be interesting to show now.
TV SCREEN.
CASTELBERRY
In
my capacity as your acting Commander in Chief I have no choice but to declare
an unprecedented military emergency. As of this moment every reserve and
national guard personnel are on active duty, and every civilian law enforcement
agency is under my command. A
state of martial law now exists. Anyone found rioting, looting,
committing arson or any other civilian crime will be shot on sight.
The people watching break out in murmurs of
disbelief.
Jesus
Christ. We're about to be blown off the face of the earth and we have a
military dictator.
TV SCREEN.
CASTLEBERRY
For the
rest of my
fellow Americans, if you are at home, stay there. If you are in
your cars, go home. If you are at work, and still have work to complete,
do it, then go home. Our federal government may be in a mess right now,
but for most of you your life has gone on without needing the immediate
attentions of our federal government. My next order is quite simple, but
will be difficult to perform under the circumstances. I want everyone to
go about their lives tomorrow morning like nothing has happened.
Like nothing has happened?
Castleberry is seen speaking to TV Camera.
CASTLEBERRY
We
must show the world and especially our enemies what Americans are made
of. If our nation dissolves into a panicked mob, the entire world will
pay the consequences. We must hang tough. We must not let this
attack break our spirit. I am reminded of the dark days of World War II
when German rockets and bombs were raining down on
TV SCREEN.
CASTLEBERRY
We
must immediately launch a massive relief effort for the victims of this
terrorist attack on our nations' capitol.
CASTLEBERRY
(Cont'd)
I
will leave it to the local authorities of the states of
Hundreds of hospital staff, doctors and
nurses are gathered around a tv set.
TV SCREEN
CASTLEBERRY
We
will need an unprecedented medical response for the people of
The
hospital staff quickly disburses and people are seen putting on coats, putting
medications in bags and boxes, and equipment being loaded into cars and trucks.
Castleberry is handed a fax.
CASTLEBERRY
I
promise you tonight
three things. First, if you
will show your courage and stand fast and keep our nation working, we will
emerge from this crisis stronger and more united than we have ever been as a
people. That strength and that unity will prevent this kind of terrible
attack from ever happening again. Second, as soon as it is possible I will
restore civilian control to our nation. In furtherance of that goal, I
will tonight contact the governors of all 50 states and convene them in a
secret location to appoint replacements for our members of the House and
Senate who died defending our nation's honor. They will in turn select a
new civilian president. Third, we will not let this attack pass unpunished. You who launched this attack against an
innocent people who merely want to live their lives in freedom hear my
words.
CASTLEBERRY
(Cont'd)
You
will be destroyed. Your evil government will be destroyed. But we
will not, and I repeat, we will never use nuclear weapons to punish you.
We do not wish to harm one individual innocent member of your society.
But mark my words and vow of every American tonight. We will get even.
TV SCREEN.
CASTLEBERRY
I
am now going to restore the civilian broadcast system. There will be no censorship. A free
society is a strong society. As there are further developments during
this emergency you will be instantly advised of same. Tonight and for the
next few weeks we are all soldiers of liberty. In your hearts you know
what is the right thing to do in our time of trial. I trust in God and I
trust in the American people to show that we are the greatest nation ever
created by people. And remember the words of our national anthem.
Through the rockets red glare and bombs bursting in air our flag was still
there. By tomorrow morning's dawns early light, our flag will still be
there as the beacon of freedom.
Thank you and good night.
The people in the network newsroom applaud.
We hear a whispered “too bad Bush wasn’t that good after 9/11”
Castleberry slumps down into his
chair. A medical team that has been hiding out of sight of the camera
rises, and carries out the body of State.
Another team comes in to pick up Wilder's
body. General Arthur walks in.
ARTHUR
Who was that?
CASTLEBERRY
Probably
the greatest traitor in American History.
He puts Benedict Arnold to shame. Our mothers will not be naming
their children Sam in the future, and every family named Wilder ought to have a
free name change if they want it.
ARTHUR
Everyone accepted your command authority?
CASTLEBERRY
The history books will record that they did.
ARTHUR
Didn't they?
Castleberry gets up, goes to the edge of
the room, and picks up a blood splattered brief case.
CASTLEBERRY
The son of a bitch was carrying the codes.
He opens the brief case and looks inside.
ARTHUR
You mean Wilder?
CASTLEBERRY
They nearly had us, my friend. You want to be my acting
Vice President?
ARTHUR
Good God! No way. How about General Bratton?
CASTLEBERRY
The
NATO Commander. Good choice. I'm going to need one hell of a
devious son of a bitch to help me. I just promised the people we were
going to get even without starting a nuclear war, and I haven't got the
slightest idea what I'm gonna do.
CASTLEBERRY
And get a steno in
here. We've got a long night's work putting this country back together.
ARTHUR
Did you know you screwed up the words to the Star Spangled
Banner?
CASTLEBERRY
Shit. I can't remember half of what I said on the
broadcast.
ARTHUR
You'll
get your chance to remember. That
was probably the greatest speech in the history of the country.
CASTLEBERRY
Get me the goddamned steno and let's get to work.
The family is still sitting on the floor
watching television.
TV SCREEN
Again I repeat,
Brandon is wiping his brow, and watching
the replay of the speech on the monitor. The Director is standing next to
him with a clip board.
DIRECTOR
We've got your tape of Castleberry's interview. You want
to use it tonight?
No way. Let's get through the night and see what
happens. Any reports from the streets?
DIRECTOR
It's
amazing. The freeways
cleared. Every light in the country must be on. Every tv in the
country is on and people are just watching like zombies. The closest
thing to this I can remember is the Kennedy assassination and 9/11.
What about the rest of the world?
DIRECTOR
Same thing. Literally, the whole world is watching right now.
Did you notice Castleberry
never said who the enemy was and who launched the attack?
DIRECTOR
He apparently didn't have to.
I wonder what the hell he's going to do to get even.
DIRECTOR
You
and everyone else. We've also got some pretty graphic footage fresh out
of
Hold
it. There'll be enough time later to document the mess. Stick to
the flags and the patriotic music and let's do our bit to see that dawn's early
light.
The room is packed with people, with a
constant churn as some leave and new ones enter. Castleberry is
feverishly issuing orders into the telephone, to the steno, to Arthur, and to
everyone else. The red telephone rings. Everyone in the room
freezes. It stops ringing.
MONTAGE: DAWN ACROSS
GRAND CENTRAL STATION
Thousands of people going to work.
None of them are smiling. Most are seen with grim expressions of
determination.
THE
A tent city is being erected. The sky
is filled with helicopters arriving and departing from landing areas.
The people are out in the street picking up
bricks from fallen buildings and stacking them in piles on the sidewalk.
A SCHOOL YARD.
Hundreds of people are waiting loaded with
boxes of food and clothing.
THE FRONT OF A BANK.
Two POLICEMEN are standing by the front
door of the bank. The scene is utterly deserted.
1ST
POLICEMAN
If there was going to be a run on the banks people'd be lining up by now.
2ND
POLICEMAN
Not if they heard that general's speech last night.
A GHETTO
A long line of youth gang members streams
from the front door of an Army recruiting office.
A RED CROSS OFFICE
A large crowd of people are waiting in line
with their sleeves rolled up.
A TELEVISION STORE WINDOW
A crowd of people are standing in the
street watching the televisions in the window, all of which are on.
AN
A large transport plane is being loaded
with relief supplies.
THE EXERCISE YARD OF A PRISON
A large group of prisoners are standing in
perfect lines, at attention, and all appear to be well groomed. The
guards are standing by, shaking their heads.
EAST LOS ANGELES
A parade of low riders is slowly driving
down a barrio street, calling to the people in the homes to bring out their
donations for
EXT.
A lingering pan across the city, holding on
the
The walls of the cave are lined with filing
cabinets. Folding chairs are set up in the middle of the room sufficient
to accommodate over 100 people. Most of the chairs are filled. At
the head of the room is a platform, with an American flag next to the
dais. Castleberry is graveling the meeting to order.
CASTLEBERRY
I
want to thank all you governors for being here on such short notice. I
think you know why we're here. This country needs a President and a
Congress.
A
distinguished silver‑haired gentleman in the first row stands. He is GOVERNOR JOHNSON.
JOHNSON
General
Castleberry. I'm Governor Johnson of
The room explodes in applause. People
are shouting "Second" and "Approved". Castleberry
gavels them quiet.
CASTLEBERRY
Are there any other nominations?
The room explodes again with shouts of "Nominations
Closed."
CASTLEBERRY
All those in favor please stand.
Everyone stands.
CASTLEBERRY
You're going to have to appoint a Supreme Court so someone can
swear me in.
The crew and Brandon have been watching the
appointment of Castleberry on their monitor.
Too bad we couldn't have fed that live.
DIRECTOR
They
had a point. Don’t give’m a second chance. Once
they're out of
Castleberry is standing at the dais as
applause declines. He pulls out some papers from inside his coat and
starts to speak.
I
accept. But I promise you that this state of emergency is not going to
last very long if I have anything to say about it. We need an elected
President, not some old military war horse who just happened to have a
television camera in his office the other night. I'm not going to dwell on the tragedy that
has fallen on
I
want to tell you how proud I am of my country. The American people proved
themselves last night and today.
CASTLEBERRY
(Cont`d)
And
I know from here on out this is going to be the kind of country we all dreamed
it could be. We've paid a terrible price to be here today. To just
be alive, let alone still free. But alive we are and free we are, and no
one on earth doubts our resolve now.
I've
promised you we'd punish those who attacked us. And we will. So help
me God we will. But we're going to
do it the right way. The honorable way. And in a way that will make
this role safer for everyone alive today and in the future. That's a tall
order. But we're tall people.
I
shouldn't go making any more promises. Lord knows we have enough to do to
put our government back together and gain our justice. But I have
another promise to make, that requires the help of everyone in our great
country.
Our
capitol city is badly damaged. The bomb used, though nuclear in nature,
was small. The radioactivity was
minimal. The major damage was centered on Capitol Hill and on our Federal
buildings. I just learned that though the
The Governors leap to their feet and
cheer. Castleberry gravels them quiet.
CASTLEBERRY
(Cont'd)
I think it's time you folks got busy getting me a
Congress. Thank you.
Castleberry walks from the dais to
thunderous applause.
EXT.
The Commander in Chief's plane is seen
nearing
Castleberry is meeting with Arthur, his chief of staff, BRATTON, his
newly appointed Vice President. Bratton is a lantern‑jawed type.
ARTHUR
We still have no word about your wife and daughter.
CASTLEBERRY
It's pretty chaotic there, isn't it?
ARTHUR
It
is. But if they were more than a mile away from the Capitol, they're
probably o.k. The phone company is setting up special call centers all
around
CASTLEBERRY
Once
the shock wears off, our people are going to be screaming for revenge.
And they're going to get it. No more of this crap about now knowing
exactly who blew up our embassy or our barracks. We know exactly who did
it.
ARTHUR
What’s the plan?.
CASTLEBERRY
We’re going to isolate and bankrupt all of them. The Iranians, the Saudis, everyone of those outfits that let the god drunk mullahs stir up jihad. And we’re going to take out bin Laden if we have to level every mountain in Pakistan and Afghanistan. We've got three hundred million angry people. We ought to have a lot of support.
Starting tomorrow we’re not buying a drop of oil from any
middle eastern country.
And
we’ll ask our so called friends around the world to do the same. If they don’t
support us, we’ll bomb the oil fields and refineries and shut them down.
And I’m going to ask every one of those middle eastern countries to vow to rid
their countries of the jihad infestation. If they refuse, we shut down their
banking systems, trade, everything. If they want to live in the 8th
century, they’ll find out how nice it really was back them. We’re going to
create the mother of all quarantines.
They get up and leave the
compartment. Castleberry stares out the window of the plane as it lands.
EXT.
The Hill is a beehive of activity with a
large number of construction workers and pieces of construction equipment are
seen clearing the rubble.
Castleberry is still in his "Eagle's
Nest" office which has been converted into the Oval Office West.
Brandon is interviewing him.
A lot's happened since
we talked last.
CASTLEBERRY
(sarcastically) No
Shit.
(to
cameraman) Erase that. (to Castleberry)
Give me a break. How does it feel to be the first military
dictator in American history?
CASTLEBERRY
Like
shit. And if you want to ask questions like that, you can get your ass
out of my office and out of this country.
But you are in effect a military dictator.
CASTLEBERRY
You're
right. Understand I don't want to be, but I've got the job. You
media people are just itching to see if I'll turn into some kind of
Generalissimo Franco and decide to keep the job for life. Well forget
it. I believe in the Constitution and I swore an oath to defend the
Constitution. I'm just a caretaker. And maybe you all will finally
realize that generals, at least this one, aren't lunatics who want nothing but
power and to blow the world all to hell.
An aide rushes in and whispers into
Castleberry's ear. His face lights up and he breaks out into a big smile.
Good news?
Castleberry's wife and daughter are
escorted into the office. Castleberry leaps up, and bear‑hugs the
both of them. The cameraman is seen carefully recording the
scene. Brandon is seen softly talking into his mike.
President
Castleberry's wife and daughter, who were in Washington the night of the
attack, have just been reunited with the general. This is Frank Brandon,
the Network News.
EXT. CAPITAL BUILDING THE FOLLOWING
JANUARY 5TH
The scene is a Presidential
Inauguration. In the background workers can be seen putting the finishing
touches on the rebuilt Capitol Building. Castleberry is standing at the
podium, in a suit, with his right hand raised and his left hand on a Bible held
by an elderly man wearing a black robe. As the scene continues text
appears on the screen.
TEXT
On November 6th General Bruce Castleberry
was elected by the largest vote margin in American history as President of the
United States.
His campaign was simple and direct.
He promised only one thing and that was
"America will get even."
THE
END
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