INDEPENDENCE DAY

CUT TO:

EXT. CALIFORNIA FARMLANDS, IMPERIAL VALLEY - DAY

Racing over back roads behind a long open field, Miguel rides
his beat-up motor bike, searching.  Looking up he SEES
something in the air.

MIGUEL'S POV - AN OLD BI-WING AIRPLANE

converted into a crop-duster, BUZZES overhead.  Spraying
insecticide wildly, the plane zigzags over the field.

MIGUEL
(yelling)
Russell!  God damn it, Russell!

Looking down from the cockpit, RUSSELL BRENNON waves stupidly.
Shaggy blonde hair and two days' growth, Russell is the image
of a fifty-one-year-old little boy.

Miguel follows him below, screaming at him.  Russell, flying
recklessly, looks down at Miguel not understanding.  By the
time he looks back he SEES...

A LINE OF TREES

at the edge of the field, nearly on top of him.  In a trick
move, Russell turns the plane on ITS SIDE, and SLICES through
the narrow gap between the trees.

Miguel screams with delight at his prowess.  Miguel looks
pissed.

ANGLE - OTHER SIDE OF TREES - MOMENTS LATER

Miguel races over, skidding to a halt next to the landed Bi-
with plane.

MIGUEL
Just what the hell do you think
you're doing?

RUSSELL
(climbing down)
I'm bringing home the bacon.
Earning my keep.  And doing a fine
job if I do say so myself.

MIGUEL
It's the wrong field, you idiot!
Lucas' farm is on the other side
of town.

RUSSELL
You sure?

MIGUEL
Damn it, he was doing you a favor.
You know how hard it is to find
someone who doesn't think you're
completely crazy?
(MORE)
What are we supposed to do now?
Huh?  Where are we supposed to go
now?

Pissed, Miguel peels away, kicking gravel back at Russell.
Pathetically, he reaches into his jacket and pulls out a
bottle of Jack Daniels.  He takes a healthy swig.

CUT TO:

EXT. IRAQI DESERT - REFUGEE CAMP - NIGHT

A tent city.  Ubiquitous overcrowding and poverty.  Several
hundred refugees settle down for the night.

Super: Northern Desert, Iraq

A BEDOUIN stokes a small fire besides his family's tent.
Suddenly a group of shouting SCREAMING TRIBES PEOPLE come
rushing past him.

The Bedouin watches them with confusion.  Overcome with
curiosity he goes against the tide of people, up the hillside.

As the Bedouin reaches the top of the hillside, his mouth
falls open, aghast as he SEES...

THE SKIES - THE PHENOMENON

Creeping from across the horizon above the rocky mountain
terrain, a wide FIREBALL high in the sky, flaring and
exploding.  A terrifying sight.

CUT TO:

EXT. USS EISENHOWER - AIR CARRIER - ESTABLISHING - DAWN

Super: Battle Carrier, USS Eisenhower - Persian Gulf

INT. USS EISENHOWER - RADAR ROOM - DAY

A loud KLAXON ALARM is ringing out.  The FIRST LIEUTENANT
comes rushing in.

LIEUTENANT
Ensign, status?

SAILOR #1
We have a total radar black out
over a thirteen kilometer area.

The Lieutenant moves over to the main radar screen.  The
entire upper portion of the screen is BLANK.  And the blank
area is MOVING.

LIEUTENANT
Have a complete diagnostic run...

SAILOR #1
Excuse me sir, radar may be
malfunctioning but infrared is off
the map!

He diverts the Lieutenant's attention to another screen; A
BRIGHT SEA OF RED light bleeds off the map.

LIEUTENANT
Get the CINC Atlantic Command on
the line.

CUT TO:

INT. PENTAGON - COMMANDING CENTER - DAY

A technical OFFICER rips off a data sheet as it shoots out of
the printer and rushes over to the Commanding Officer.

OFFICER
Sir, we now have visual range with
incoming over Iraqi airspace.

COMMANDING OFFICER
A second sighting?

OFFICER
Yes Sir, this just came in from
the Eisenhower.

The Commanding Officer grabs a phone laying off the hook.

COMMANDING OFFICER
Correction, we have two confirmed
visual contacts.  One over Iraq,
one over the Pacific.

INT. OVAL OFFICE - DAY

The room is packed.  The President and his chief advisors are
there along with the Joint Chief of Staff.  Representatives
from the Atlantic Command and U.S. Space Command have formed
small clusters around telephones.

GENERAL GREY
Where in the Pacific?
(turning to the President)
They've spotted one off the
California coast line.

Surrounded by the Secret Service, the President is speechless.
Constance Halbrook comes rushing into the room and whispers to
the President.

PRESIDENT
Put it on.

Constance moves over to a cabinet and turns on the T.V. (the
reception is still fuzzy, picture "rolling").  The CNN News
broadcast shows the phenomenon over Novosibirsk, Russia.
There is mass hysteria behind the reporter.

NEWSCASTER
(filtered)
...sightings of this atmospheric
phenomenon have been reported here
in Novosibirsk, Russia and other
parts of Siberia.  Moving too
slowly to be a comet or meteor,
astronomers are baffled as to its
origin...

Everyone is locked onto the television, mesmerized.

NEWSCASTERS (cont'd)
(filtered)
...Widespread panic has gripped
the countryside as thousands have
taken to the streets and clogged
the highways.  Hundreds have been
injured...

General Grey confers with the Atlantic command CINC.  He nods,
turns to the President and whispers.

GENERAL GREY
Mr. President, we have an AWAC on
the west coast.  E.T.A. with
contact point, three minutes.

INT. AWAC AIRPLANE - DAY

Wall to wall computer, radar and intelligence gathering
equipment.  Technicians frantically try to adjust as the
system goes hay wire.

RADAR TECH #1
(reporting into radio)
It's no use.  Side radar doesn't
see a thing!

RADAR TECH #2
(reporting)
That's correct.  We're IMC blind,
sir.

We TRACK across them over to the pilots and into the cockpit.
Cloudy skies.  The PILOT squints out the window as he speaks.

PILOT
Negative.  We still have zero
visibility.

EXT. AWAC AIRPLANE - CLOUDY SKIES - DAY

ZOOMING overhead as we SEE the AWAC sailing through a thick
cloudy sky.

Super: Pacific Coastline, California

The AWAC disappears from view into the clouds.

INT. OVAL OFFICE - SAME

The President and his top advisors are gathered around a
speaker phone listening to the pilot of the AWAC.

PILOT
(filtered)
Instrumentation is malfunctioning.
We can't get any kind of reading
on what's in front of us.

INT. AWAC - SAME

The Pilot squints as he tries to see through the clouds.

PILOT
Wait a minute, it may be clearing.

Suddenly the clouds part before us and we're face to face with
a WALL OF FLAMES.

INT. AWAC - SAME

The speaker phone cracks and distorts.

PILOT
(filtered)
Jesus God!  The sky's on fire!

EXT. AWAC AND PHENOMENON - SAME

The AWAC attempts to climb sharply as we get our first real
look at the atmospheric phenomenon.  Majestic and monstrous.
The AWAC is not going to be able to make it.

Quickly it is ENGULFED in the flames.

INT. OVAL OFFICE - SAME

The phone line goes dead.  General Grey spins to an AIDE.

GENERAL GREY
Get them back on line.

AIDE #1
(on other phone)
Line's gone, sir.

The ATLANTIC COMMAND CINC, turns from a different phone.

AAC CINC
Two more have been spotted over
the Atlantic.  One is moving
toward New York, the other is
headed this direction.

CHIEF OF STAFF
How much time do we have?

AAC CINC
Less than ten minutes.

NIMZIKI
(turning to aid)
Organize a military escort to
Crystal Mountain.

GENERAL GREY
(to President)
Sir, I strongly recommend we
move you to a secured location
immediately.

... The President hesitates, he turns to Constance.

PRESIDENT
Can we expect the same kid of
panic here as in Russia?

CONSTANCE
More than likely.

NIMZIKI
Mr. President, you can discuss
this on the way.

Torn, the President grapples with a decision.  Finally...

PRESIDENT
                I'm not leaving.

NIMZIKI
We must maintain a working
government in a time of crisis...

PRESIDENT
I want the Vice President,
Secretary of Defense, the whole
Cabinet and the Joint Chiefs taken
to a secured location.
I'm staying here.  I am not going
to add to a public hysteria that
could cost lives.

NIMZIKI
But, Mr. President...

PRESIDENT
So far these things have not
become hostile.  For the moment
let's assume they won't.
(to Constance)
Connie, let's issue statements
advising people not to panic, to
stay home and take cover.

Constance issues commands to her staff as they quickly
exit along with most people in the room.  General Grey goes
over to the President.

GENERAL GREY
With your permission, Mr.
President, I'd like to remain my
your side.

PRESIDENT
I had a feeling you would.

GENERAL GREY
Sir, what happens if they do
become hostile?

PRESIDENT
Then God help us.

CUT TO:

INT. DAVID'S CUBICLE - DAY

On the T.V. behind David, news footage of the phenomenon in
Russia plays silently.  Oblivious, David works his computers.

FEMALE CO-WORKER
(stopping in doorway)
David, are you watching this?

David waves her away, deep in concentration.  Suddenly a
computer BEEPS.  Excitedly David prints out his finding.  He
grabs it and exits.

INT. COMPACT CABLE OFFICE - CONTINUOUS

Engrossed in his printout, David walks past his co-workers who
are glued to the distorted picture on the television, watching
the phenomenon.

INT. MARTY'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS

Marty stares at his television watching General Grey
addressing the press.  David enters, staring at his reading.

DAVID
I've got a lock on the signal
pattern.  We can filter it out.

MARTY
(distracted)
Huh?  Oh, good, hood.

DAVID
Strange thing is, if my
calculations are right it'll be
gone in approximately seven hours
anyway.  The signal reduces itself
every time it recycles.
Eventually it will disappear.  Are
you listening?

MARTY
(still glued to T.V.)
Can you believe this?

DAVID
What re you talking about?

MARTY
Haven't you been watching?

David turns for the first time to the television and sees the
phenomenon.  Constance comes on addressing the press.

CONSTANCE
(filtered)
...so far the phenomenon has not
caused any damage.  In all
likelihood it won't...

INT. WHITE HOUSE PRESS ROOM - SAME

More reporters rush in from the back quickly setting up as
this hastily called press conference continues.

CONSTANCE
...everyone should remain calm.
Take cover where you can but the
important thing is not to panic.

INT. BRENNON MOBILE HOME - SAME

Miguel, Alicia and Troy watch the static riddled T.V.

CONSTANCE
(filtered)
...we have a fix on three
different occurrences about to
appear over American cities.  One
is headed toward Los Angeles...

INT. MARTY'S OFFICE - SAME

CONSTANCE
(filtered)
...the other two are on our
Eastern seaboard headed towards
New York and Washington, D.C...

Suddenly hectic CO-WORKER #2 appear at the door.

CO-WORKER #2
Jamie says this building has an
old bomb shelter.  We're heading
down there now.

MARTY
(dry; to David)
Feel no shame in hiding.

INT. HALLWAY -- CONTINUOUS