EXT. OUTSIDE ROSWELL, NEW MEXICO – NIGHT
From the ambient light of the moon and stars a complex of concrete bunkers can be seen arranged around a single airstrip.
Caption: Top Secret DHS Air Intercept Facility
CONTROLLER (O.S.)
Say again.
INT DHS AIF CONTROL ROOM
PILOT (O.S.)
End of rope, I repeat, end of rope.
The controller looks up from his glowing console to the duty officer, LT COL CROSBY. The Lt Col opens the three ring binder and flips through the pages. He picks up a phone receiver and punches a button.
INT WHITE HOUSE – SITUATION ROOM
The crisply dressed officer answers the buzzing line and speaks into his headphone.
COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER
Roger.
He turns to his waiting audience, the President of the United States and his National Security Adviser.
COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER (CONT’D)
End of rope, sir.
Eyes cast down, POTUS looks up and with a sigh, and responds:
POTUS
String them up.
COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER
How many sir.
POTUS
All of them.
As the communications officer relays the message, POTUS stands and walks to the map.
POTUS (CONT’D)
I can’t believe that Agent Sadusky and his team have failed.
NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR
Our adversaries play for keeps. He knew that, we knew that.
POTUS
But are you sure our intelligence is correct?
NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR
We’ve let it go on too long, making sure it’s accurate. One of our neutron bombs is gone, and their number three man is linked to it.
INT. EXTREME END OF THE CATWALK
Rance arrives at the safe-like object, only to discover that it is a large counterweight hanging off the end. He looks back in disgust. The Slidell brothers are still battling it out along the catwalk. But then he catches a glimpse of Abigail closing the forward hatch on the ironclad, and is galvanized into action.
THE IRONCLAD BRIDGE
Ben rummages about checking out the items on the bridge, a binnacle, a chart table, the wheel and finally the speaker tubes. He picks up the first and holds it to his ear.
He hears the sound of GUNFIRE.
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