Swarm, The (1978) Movie Script
Red-Two to Topkick.
Stand by.
Red-Two reporting, sir.
- Slater here.
- General, all personnel dead, sir.
No enemy force on site.
The only security breach a civilian
van, but no driver to be found.
Any evidence this is a preemptive
CW strike?
- No, sir.
- Coming in.
Go on in.
Sergeant.
Who the hell are you?
Relax, major. Please, take your finger
off the trigger and I will explain.
- That your van out by the gate?
- Yeah.
How'd you get in the complex?
It's a complicated story. It starts
a year ago, but let's skip that.
Let me tell you about last night
and this morning.
Search him.
What's that?
- Man your positions.
- Sunflower seeds.
Get it analyzed.
- Who is this?
- The van driver, sir.
- What the hell is he doing here?
- Unidentified force. Range, 30 miles.
- Closing from what direction?
- Not closing. Outgoing.
Check him out...
...and tell him to put his hands down.
- Yes, sir.
- What have you got?
- Estimated speed, seven miles per hour.
- Seven?
- Whatever it is, it's big.
Slater to Air Search One.
Contact and identify outgoing objects
bearing 183 degrees.
Distance, 30 miles. Estimated speed,
seven miles per hour.
Repeat, that's seven miles
per hour, not 700.
Air Search One to Topkick, roger.
Air Search One to Topkick.
We have visual contact.
- Identify.
- A black mass. A moving black mass!
Zero altitude, dead ahead.
- They're hitting us!
- Oh, my God!
We're out of control!
Oh, my God! Bees! Millions of bees!
Air Search 2-8 to Base.
- Bees! Millions of bees!
- Bees?
They're all around!
All over the canopy, trying to get in!
- Get above them, man! Take it up!
- I can't, sir. I'm losing power!
Oh, my God!
He's down, sir.
Good lord.
Call Hastings Air Force Base. Have
them scramble and track those bees.
Major! Bring him in here!
This is Capt. Cord
at the missile complex.
This is an order
from General Slater.
Scramble aircraft and track a swarm
of bees 30 miles from the complex.
Yes, bees!
Now, what's his story?
- Bradford Crane, sir.
- That all?
Ph.D., Institute of Advanced Study,
Princeton, via Cambridge.
- English?
- American, for the last eight years.
Well, Dr. Crane, you're in big trouble.
- What are you doing in this complex?
- I saw the swarms, early this morning.
There were so many they blotted out the
sun. I followed, but they were gone.
Then I saw the missile gates open
and I thought they'd flown down here.
I came to see if anybody was alive.
If I could help.
- In his van?
- Scientific equipment.
- What kind? Sabotage, explosives?
- Biological. We're checking it out.
- Who are you?
- I'm an entomologist.
- Bugs?
- Insects. What I do is not important.
What is important...
...is that there are other
swarms, and what these bees did...
...they can do all over
the Southwest...
...and all over the country.
- Bees killed the men here?
- Yes. Just like your choppers.
- I don't know what happened yet.
Thousands of people are stung
by bees every year.
It's rare if anybody dies
from bee stings!
- They have to be African, don't they?
- Killer bees?
- Yes.
- Not likely. I've read reports.
If they ever manage to come north,
it's 10 years away.
By whose timetable, general,
yours or theirs?
Either you're some crackpot...
...or there's a direct tie-up between
what's happened here and you!
We can clear that up,
and we'd better!
Kick on your system and patch
through to Dr. Connors.
- Arthur Connors, the adviser?
- That's him.
Are you trying to cite him
as your authority?
Dr. Connors hasn't the foggiest idea
whether I'm on or under this complex.
- I have to speak to him right now!
- Lock him up!
- Yes, sir.
- General, thank God you got here, sir.
- What?
- This is Dr. Anderson.
She managed to get six men into the
hospital in time to isolate them.
Two are dead, the others
are critical. I need antitoxins.
- I have cardiopep compound in my van.
- Cardiopep?
I just read an article
about cardiopep...
...by some scientist
named Crane, I think.
Our preliminary results
are encouraging.
You're Crane?
Yes. Our tests indicate cardiopep
normalizes irregular heartbeat.
Now, wait a minute. We're not
using experimental substances.
This is his area.
It seems to me if he feels...
I don't give a damn! You're the doctor!
Tell me what you need.
- I'll have it in 30 minutes.
- That's the problem. I don't know.
None of the procedures seem to help.
I need an immunologist.
Get the Center for Disease Control.
The best in the country is Walter Krim.
You'll find his card in my wallet.
Call him.
- Go ahead.
- I know him very well.
I'd be pleased to talk to him.
All right. Go with him. Go with him.
- What happened here, captain?
- I'm sorry. You mean you don't know?
Well, not exactly.
- We were attacked by bees.
- Attacked?
I was in the hospital bunker.
I turned on the video control unit,
saw what was happening...
...our men above ground were
literally covered with bees.
I used an air-conditioning duct
to lead the crew out.
The bees attacked when we reached
the hospital.
I managed to get six men inside.
It's damn hard to believe that...
...insects have accomplished what
nothing in the world could've done...
...except germ warfare
or a neutron bomb:
Neutralize an ICBM site.
Okay, let's go. Come on, Paul.
- All right.
- Wow. Isn't this beautiful?
Neat.
Here, Paul, take this.
- Here you go, hon.
- Thanks, babe.
Paul, look at that over there.
I think there's a waterfall
we can go to after.
- Hand me the cups, please.
- Sure.
Would you go to the car
and get the thermos?
Go away.
- It's just a bee. Leave him alone.
- They're into everything.
I'll get them.
Get out of the way, honey.
I think that's enough, you're gonna
wreck the food. I'm hungry.
It's so hot.
- Hey, wait for Paul.
- I can't. I'm starving.
Mom, Dad! Look!
Dad! Come on, get in the car.
Mom!
Dad!
Mom!
Mom! Dad!
General Thompson coming on-screen.
General, we've received
and decoded your report.
We're having credibility problems
with the nature of the attack.
Specifically, with your statement
it was not a chemical war strike.
We can find no evidence of that, sir.
Your suggestion the attack is natural.
What is that?
I'm having the same problem accepting
that swarms of bees attacked...
Has that civilian
been cleared, general?
No, sir.
What is he doing in our complex?
When I arrived with my special defense
unit, he was already inside the complex.
He claims he walked in through
the open gate.
I am Dr. Brad Crane, an entomologist.
I asked your man to check my
credentials with Dr. Arthur Connors.
Nobody believes me.
I have been placed in custody.
Every minute now is precious.
We have been invaded by an enemy
far more lethal than any human force.
Well, Dr. Crane, we're going to check
with the White House.
Dr. Connors had better know you,
for your sake.
- Afternoon, Felix.
- Afternoon, ma'am.
- How are you feeling today?
- Now that you're here, just fine.
Nicely said.
Everything's looking pretty, Maureen,
including you.
Thank you, Clarence. The wire
and the pliers, please.
Felix, think that rigging
is going to keep my banner up?
Just because you're mayor of Marysville
doesn't make you an engineer.
Don't be worrying about my rigging.
She'll stay up in a hurricane.
I was thinking how corny your banner
reads. Makes us look like hicks.
Nobody asked you
to retire here, you know.
Clarence, that's not nice.
We've been doing fine with our
Flower Festival...
...until this master mechanic genius
came to tell us how to run things.
Well, actually, the sign is sort of
hicky. That's what people expect.
The hammer too. That's why
thousands flock here each year...
...to see the parade and our beautiful
flower floats.
That's right. We'll grant this
isn't Pasadena.
It isn't the Rose Bowl.
It's a country-town imitation!
I'll tell you one thing
I do approve of.
This year's theme: "Love."
- Now, that was Clarence's idea.
- That's right.
Well, everybody's got to have one good
idea now and then...
...even Clarence.
- Now look, Felix...
Mom, Dad.
This way! Quick!
They killed my mom and my dad!
Yes, sir. Yes, sir.
We'll do the best we can, sir,
and thank you, sir.
General Thompson coming on-screen.
Dr. Crane, your credentials
have been authenticated.
Nothing more?
While I confess to being surprised...
... but the president has placed
you in direct command...
... of all operations relating
to this emergency.
What are the limits to my authority?
- None. General Slater.
- Yes, sir.
You will provide full cooperation.
You will give him equipment, whatever
facilities and manpower he needs.
All this is to be made available
to him without question.
- Without question, sir?
- Affirmative.
- Dr. Crane.
- Yes.
The president's adviser,
Dr. Connors...
... told me he'll be calling
you within an hour...
... and I'd like to join
in wishing you good luck.
Thank you.
Major, when you checked
the nonlethal equipment in my van...
...did you come across
a beat-up briefcase?
- Yes, sir.
- Are you familiar with its contents?
Yes, sir. An inventory of the contents
is in the process of being typed.
Correction, sir. Was being typed.
Thank you. I want the particular file
that I marked "Personnel"...
...to give to General Slater.
- Yes, sir.
While you're about it,
could I have my leather pouch?
- The one with the sunflower seeds.
- Sergeant...
...would you get the items
he requested?
The file contains names, addresses
and numbers of everyone I want.
Just tell them the war I've always
talked about has finally started.
- That's all? They'll drop everything?
- I'm counting on it.
- Anything else?
- Yes. In that briefcase...
...there is a list of equipment. Get
the Pentagon's top procurement man...
...and get everything on that
list not later than tomorrow.
Why here?
Because we're setting up here, general.
Time is the one thing we're short on.
Now, I want to talk
to the survivors, please.
- Take Dr. Crane to Captain Anderson.
- Yes, sir. Come with me.
Yes.
Brother.
Major...
...I believe you were an investigative
officer in Intelligence, right?
That's correct, sir.
Okay, I'm assigning you
to this Dr. Crane...
...as his personal military liaison.
Watch every move he makes.
Build me a dossier on him.
I can't believe he just happened
to be here at the moment...
...a swarm of bees hit this complex...
...and that he'd already prepared
with such remarkable foresight...
...a list of personnel and equipment
to be flown in here.
It does seem strange, sir.
- Stay with the son of a bitch.
- Yes, sir.
This man is the most stable,
but his heart rate is still 120.
Take another blood sample
just before Dr. Krim gets here.
That would be three hours
at the outside.
Infirmary, Major Baker.
Well, hold on a minute.
Captain Anderson?
Dr. Anderson.
Oh, my God!
- I'm leaving right now.
- What is it?
The bees killed all
the Durant family except Paul.
- I must go to him.
- I'll go with you. Major, you drive.
Paul Durant.
- C-4.
- Thank you.
There's a bee in here! Please, help!
There's a bee in here!
- Relax, Paul. Take it easy.
- Get him away! Kill him!
- Paul! Paul!
- Doctor, would you let him go, please?
- Do what he says, Tomas.
- Back away. Back away.
Paul? Paul? Listen to me.
- There is no bee in this room.
- Yes, there is.
You are having a nightmare.
Only a nightmare.
Can you hear me, Paul?
The bee is not real.
Paul, I promise you it isn't.
Now, reach out and it will go away.
You'll see.
Now, please, Paul, reach out.
Reach out, Paul.
Please trust me.
Reach out, further. Go on.
There. You see, Paul?
- No bee.
- Everything I tried failed.
I was afraid I was going to lose him.
I know how special he is to you,
so I called you.
- Thank you.
- How many times was he stung?
- I removed two stingers.
- Well, that's one break.
- He's not full of venom.
- But he's delirious...
...muttering about this giant bee.
- It was big! It was really big.
About half the size of this room!
It's gone now, Paul. It was only
in your mind, and he won't be back.
- I have to go.
- Dr. Crane...
...thank you for helping me.
Contact the complex, please.
Two things:
General Slater must assign helicopters
to start a search...
...radiating from the site where
the Durants were attacked.
But the helicopters must take
no aggressive action.
We're gathering information, not
attacking.
- Clear?
- Clear.
Second item: Have the complex call me
the moment Dr. Krim is about to land.
Here come your choppers, as ordered.
Thank you, general.
No, thanks.
- High in potassium, low in sodium.
- Terrific.
Sergeant, start your patterns.
Start your dispersal pattern
in sectors A and B.
Report immediately
any sighting of swarms.
Roger.
- Tell us what you're looking for.
- I'm looking for bees.
Unfortunately, they washed down
the Durant car before we got to it.
Look.
Doesn't look like a bee to me.
Plastic.
It's a piece of a plastic cup.
There are pieces all around here.
Look. There, there.
What's so significant about that?
I'm afraid to speculate...
...but I think the bees did this.
You saying these bees
eat plastic?
No, no.
But I'm wondering.
Honey bees have a weak mouth.
They couldn't break
the skin of a grape.
But it looks like this species
is tearing up plastic cups...
...possibly to line their hives.
Now, if this is true,
they didn't just get here.
I mean, the invasion didn't
just now begin.
They have been here some time.
Breeding. Increasing.
So?
Well, suppose these bees...
...are using plastic to
insulate their hives.
No bee is that smart.
Suppose these African bees are.
Walter!
Got a message for you
from Mrs. Krim.
Carol is furious at me
for dragging you back to work.
She says I'm not the only
immunologist in the world.
That's what you always told me.
Ready to go to work, Dr. Krim?
Now I am, Dr. Crane.
- This is General Slater.
- Just let me know what you need.
Thanks, general.
We've got to move fast.
I agree...
...and in my opinion, the fastest move
is a quick knockout.
Not necessarily, general.
It's only the final result
that counts.
Thanks, Brad.
The hallucinations are disappearing.
None of the patients have had
a recurrence in the past few hours.
Well, you're doing everything you can.
- Keep these IVs going.
- Yes, sir.
Is there any other antitoxin
we could've used?
If the bees that stung them
were African...
...the answer's probably no.
Got nothing in our bag for them.
Cardiopep may have eased
their palpitations...
...but it's no final antidote.
Call me if there's
any change in these men.
- They don't look very good, do they?
- I'm afraid not.
You still refuse to oil this?
I don't intend to be
stuck in this thing forever.
Have you finally met
some miracle healer?
I'm studying Tibetan levitation.
In a few hundred years,
I expect to be able to float around.
- You still writing dirty books?
- Not this year.
Raunchiest thing I ever read...
...that paper of yours on the
mating habits of Bombus medius.
Those queen bees are something.
Sergeant, this is Dr. Krim.
The two officers
are Drs. Richards and Moore.
Until they finish their work,
you don't admit anyone.
Have someone oil these wheels.
You okay, Brad?
Yeah.
Go on. I'll handle this part
and call you when I'm ready.
Walter...
...thanks for coming over here
so quickly.
- Problem, doctor?
- About what?
Well, I noticed that Dr. Crane
seemed uneasy in here.
Can't imagine why he'd be uneasy
around all these dead men.
Can you, major?
Well, is he coming or isn't he?
Yes, sir, the general is coming,
but you have to wait outside.
What's this about
shutting off our water?
- Are you in charge?
- Yes, I'm General Slater.
Well, I'm Jud Hawkins.
I asked these tin soldiers
if I could see my son...
...and they tell me it's impossible.
Why do you think he's here?
Because he was stupid enough
to join your damn outfit.
Airman Mark Hawkins.
He's stationed here.
I want to see him.
I'm afraid that's not possible.
Not yet.
I'll tell you what makes it possible.
Me being the county engineer.
That makes it possible.
Do you understand me, general?
lmpossible!
I control all the damn water
in this county...
...and by God, I'll shut yours off
unless I get to see my son!
I'll shut this whole base down
in 10 minutes.
You won't even have enough water
to flush your toilets.
I'm not sure you have
the authority to do that.
Well, while you're checking
with your superiors...
...l'll be turning valves.
Now, you listen to me.
Word is, them same bees
that killed the Durant family...
...killed a whole lot of men
on this base.
I want to see my son.
I want to find out if he's alive,
and I mean right now!
All right, Mr. Hawkins.
Open it up.
Come with me.
Anything?
The toxic content in their tissue
is the highest I've ever found.
It's more virulent than the
Australian brown-box jellyfish.
If that baby taps you, you have
two minutes to say your prayers.
Well...
That's it, then?
Looks like your nightmare
has finally arrived.
The combined venom delivered by
three of these bees...
...may be a fatal dosage
to the average human being.
The victim would be unconscious
in a minute.
We've been losing the battle
against the insects for 15 years...
...but I never thought I'd see
the final face-off in my lifetime.
And I never dreamed that it would
turn out to be the bees.
- They've been our friends.
- Until this species evolved.
General Slater is outside with
next of kin of one of the dead men.
- He wants to come in here?
- It's imperative.
All right.
Oh, God! No!
I'm afraid you can't take him,
Mr. Hawkins.
The only way you can stop me
is to shoot me...
...and I'd thank you if you would.
Hubbard. Dr. Newman.
- Thanks for coming.
- Glad to help.
You should know I came reluctantly.
Well, that's better than not at all,
now isn't it?
This way, gentlemen.
Would you excuse me a moment?
When the others arrive,
give them 30 minutes to unpack...
...then have them go
to the briefing room.
Gentlemen.
Rude son of a bitch, isn't he?
Never even introduced us.
You'd think he's a general.
- He's asked for the duty watch tapes.
- Why?
He knows there's an automatic
taping system in the duty room.
He wants to see just prior
to the attack.
I've already played them back.
Nothing that'll help us.
But let him hear it.
- Stay with him. Build up that dossier.
- Yes, sir.
So, what about Rita?
No more slinging hash.
I'm gonna marry her.
Just because you're gonna
have a kid.
I'd marry her whether we were
gonna have a kid or not.
At the tone, mark 0430.
We're scheduled to test
the alarm system...
... right after the 0430 mark.
Stand by. Activating.
- What alarm system is that?
- A fallback...
...in case we lose the phone lines
or radio contact.
What's that?
- Just the alarm.
- No, listen.
- Jerry, do you hear what I'm hearing?
- Yeah.
Duty officer.
Right away, sir.
A couple million chain saws!
- That came from the corridor.
- I'll go look.
Jerry! Behind you!
My God!
- Dr. Crane, they're ready for you now.
- Okay.
Keep the tapes on.
I want to hear them again.
- How's Paul?
- Recovering, thank you.
That's good.
Good morning, ladies, gentlemen.
Please forgive the haste and secrecy
with which you've been summoned here.
We've been invaded by a mutant species
of the African killer bee.
Crane, if I may.
Yes, Dr. Hubbard?
I was sent by the president to help,
but I think you're dead wrong.
I was one of the first people
sent to Brazil...
...when the killer bee
began proliferating.
We prefer to call this bee
Brazilian, not African.
I'm well aware of that, Dr. Hubbard.
I've been tracking
their progress north...
...and there is no evidence
whatsoever...
...that they've even crossed
Central America.
Apparently, they crossed
the Caribbean from Venezuela.
There were three hurricanes
in that ocean tract this season.
Any one of them could have
swept the bees in.
Much of this land is used
to cultivate flowers.
A perfect breeding ground.
With all due respect
to the men who died here...
...there's no proof that the bees
that killed them were Brazilian.
Or, if you insist, African.
What's important is what they are.
And what they are is a mutant species
of the original African killer bee.
Dr. Krim will explain.
The autopsies confirm
that the venom...
...is deadlier than anything
we've encountered.
It appears there's enough poison
in just four stings...
...to kill the average person.
I won't dispute
my learned colleague...
...but it takes 26 tests
to identify the African.
How many tests have you made so far?
Major.
You're looking at the final test
I made this morning...
...from the one dead bee
that we found.
Notice the 18-vein intersection
on the forewing...
...and the 17 separate angles
of the hamuli.
Only one bee has that configuration...
...and that is the African killer bee.
Major.
Dr. Hubbard...
...I would appreciate it if you would
head up our environmental team.
Dr. Newman will be in charge
of the genetic counterattack.
Dr. Krim will try to develop
a mass antidote...
...to save the lives
of future victims.
Because of the danger to nearby
Marysville, if the bees attack...
...l've invited Mayor Tuttle and
School Superintendent Ms. Schuster...
...to attend this briefing.
Any comment?
Mayor Tuttle.
Thank you.
In view of what you've told us,
I'll set up a town council meeting.
I'll see that our air-raid
warning system is repaired.
It hasn't worked in some time.
If the bees come back, at least we can
warn people to take shelter.
A very practical approach.
Ms. Schuster.
The idea of those killer bees
coming back is petrifying.
I'll alert all my teachers
to be prepared for the worst.
I appreciate your thoughtfulness
in asking us to this briefing.
- Thank you, Dr. Crane.
- You're welcome, Ms. Schuster.
Any further comment?
What's our timetable?
Eight-hour shifts, round the clock.
I meant, what's the length
of our program?
How long can we expect to be here?
Until we have destroyed
the African bee...
...or it has destroyed us.
Psst! Hey!
- You guys ready?
- Yeah!
- Give me the binoculars and let's go.
- Okay.
- Morning!
- Hi, boys!
Morning, Rita.
Morning, Mr. Austin.
Instead of the usual,
I'll just have coffee.
- All right.
- I'll get it, Rita.
Morning, Felix!
I would think you'd let her
have some time off.
At least let her go
to the missile base...
...and pick up Jerry's things.
I told her!
I even said to her, "Rita...
...go home for a few days
and pull yourself together."
And she said:
"If I went home, and stared at them
four walls, knowing Jerry's gone...
...l'm just liable to take his
service pistol and blow my head off."
She's better off
pretending it never happened.
Pretending them killer bees
never got up here.
I bet I can guess what schoolteacher
them roses belong to.
You don't need no crystal ball
for that.
The way I hear it,
Maureen is favoring you over Clarence.
- I sure am counting on it.
- Yes, sir.
The odds have shifted in your favor.
Now, them is my kind of odds.
- I gotta be going.
- So soon?
- Yeah, but I'll be seeing you.
- Have a good day.
- Oh, Maureen.
- Morning, Felix.
- I got you some roses.
- Oh, Felix. They are lovely.
I usually get apples.
Oh, Maureen. I...
Something wrong, Felix?
I'm not too good with words...
...but I am a retired
master mechanic...
...and my education, well...
...it's all in these hands.
And I know you know
what I'm trying to say.
Your roses speak for you.
Most eloquently.
Thank you.
And I'm mindful of it.
Then there is hope for me?
Oh, look at the time.
I'd better hurry.
How'd it look for me to be late?
Let me help you.
And I'll keep your roses near me.
- As a reminder.
- Thank you.
- I'll see you real soon.
- You will.
- Bye.
- Bye.
We'll come back later.
We have to plan this just right.
These aren't just any old bees.
This is Anne MacGregor.
We're heading for Marysville
to investigate a report...
... of a savage bee attack.
A mother and father are dead,
and their son is injured.
My next report...
- Kill it.
- Yes, sir.
We've picked up a huge swarm.
This puts it only 200 miles
from Houston.
I have choppers ready.
We'll eliminate them.
- With what?
- Airborne chemical agents.
May we talk? Alone?
Sure.
We didn't discuss using chemicals.
Now, listen.
My orders are to assist you
in your scientific endeavors...
...not to consult you
on military matters...
...which are none of your
damn concern, sir!
General, please.
These bees are of joint concern.
They kill Americans without regard for
whether or not they should salute you.
There will be no airdrops
until I give the okay.
Your okay, huh?
Then perhaps I can persuade you
to attack this particular swarm.
Now we know where it is.
Attack and eliminate it!
Possibly, if you can explain to me...
...how you airdrop chemicals
without killing native insects.
If you kill the African bee
you'll also kill the American.
Better a few American bees than
a lot of American people.
That is the point, general!
The honey bee
is vital to the environment!
In America, they pollinate
six billion dollars' worth of crops!
Killing the bee kills the crop!
Killing the plant kills the people!
No! No, general!
There will be no airdrop until
we know what we're dropping...
...and where and how!
Excuse me.
What about the airdrop, sir?
Sir?
- The 0430 mark.
- Okay. Stand by, activating.
- Jerry, do you hear what I'm hearing?
- Yeah.
What is it?
Sounds like a couple million
chain saws!
- That came from the corridor.
- I'll go look.
Jerry! Behind you!
My God!
Oh, God, no! No!
Come on, let's get them!
We've got to kill them this time!
Ready, now!
Let's get out of here!
I can't imagine where he's gone.
We've looked everywhere.
He's been running a fever.
I got him to the clinic after
the funeral, but then he disappeared.
We'll find him.
With everything else you have on your
shoulders, you didn't need this.
I know I'm taking you away
from all your responsibilities.
Paul is one of them.
Besides, I like being with you.
You're the one good thing
that's happened to me.
I like that. I really do.
What is it?
Look.
The bees.
They're heading toward Marysville.
- I'll beat you outside!
- No, you won't.
Now, Miss Cook?
In a minute, Mr. Tuttle.
- Is this what you want?
- No, I need a note from your mother.
- Now, Mr. Tuttle.
- Thank you.
Would you excuse me?
That'd be all right.
Well, Clarence,
who's minding the store?
Maureen, how long
have we known each other?
- Maybe you'd better sit down.
- No, thanks, I'll stand. How long?
I remember you in short pants...
...but I don't wanna figure out
how long ago that was.
In all that time,
have you ever heard me beg?
Not you, Clarence.
You're a high-spirited,
independent soul.
Well, Maureen, I'm willing to beg now.
Yes? Blue will do.
Where was I? Oh, yes.
Maureen, I want you to marry me.
Oh, Clarence, do sit down.
Name the date and I'll make
all the arrangements.
- I'm not sure I'm the wife you need.
- You'd be the best wife in the world.
I think I'm already married,
completely married to this school.
Maureen, I love you.
People think I'm just an old man
behind the aspirin counter...
...but in my heart I'm as young
as I ever was, maybe younger.
And I want to take care of you.
Thank you, Clarence.
Well, I guess I have to choose,
don't I?
I guess that's about
what it comes down to.
Please hold the calls.
I know I may not win out...
...because, though I pretend
I can't stand Felix...
...I know he's a fine man
and he'd make a good husband.
But I know one thing. I love you.
I always have, and I always will...
...no matter what you decide.
How lucky I am.
Well...
...all right.
I'll give you both my answer
before the end of this school term.
How's that?
That's fair enough, I guess.
Oh, I brought these for you.
Thank you.
Why'd they send us varsity here?
Any stringer could cover this story.
No, this isn't just about
a family killed by bees.
Something else is going on.
I can feel it.
- We're first on the spot.
- Okay, Anne, if you say so.
Well, let's check in.
Get back.
I've got it right here in front of me.
The African bees!
The African bees are back!
Get everyone inside, and lock up!
Call the park! Call the field!
I'll call the school!
Get inside! The bees are coming!
Get inside!
The killer bees are coming!
Those bees are coming.
Get the kids into the building.
Don't you understand?
The killer bees are coming!
- Get them inside!
- Take any children with you!
Quickly, get inside!
Take your children with you!
If you see any children alone,
take them with you!
Keep all the vents closed
and don't let anybody out.
I understand.
I'll do it immediately.
Attention. Attention.
This is Miss Schuster.
Please listen very carefully.
A swarm of killer bees
is coming this way.
I want every teacher
and every student...
...to close off whatever area you may
be in at this very moment.
Children! Children!
It's all right.
Quiet. Quiet.
Here they come! Inside, fast!
Get it all on tape!
Close your windows and doors!
Stay inside! Please, listen to us!
Run!
- Brad!
- Get some ice!
They're coming in here!
- Is there a freezer?
- This way.
Get in it.
Mr. Harris! He's locked it!
Hey!
- Is he crazy?
- He's afraid of everything!
Aren't we safe in here?
I don't know.
No, the air conditioning.
They'll come through the vents.
Just a minute.
It's 40 degrees in here.
We'll be all right.
Bees don't function well
in temperatures under 50.
Helena!
I'm reporting from Marysville.
The swarm left a devastated community.
The town is reeling
from the vicious raid...
... that left many of
their friends dead.
The town was preparing
for its Flower Festival.
Authorities speculate
the nearby fields...
This is Frank Blair.
We await a statement from the
president's top adviser, Dr. Connors.
Dr. Connors is evaluating
data from Bradford Crane...
... the leading authority
on the deadly African bee.
Crane is now at the scene
of the tragedy.
- Dr. Krim.
- Did you locate him?
We're trying our mobile units.
Stand by.
Every opening into homes, churches,
schools and offices is being closed.
Scientific authorities are warning
against overreacting.
Scientists believe this tragedy
is a freak, localized phenomenon...
... and could not possibly be repeated.
Take it easy.
Okay, there we go.
Come this way.
Clear the way.
- Hello.
- Krim here.
Hi, it's Brad.
I just heard about Helena.
Is she all right?
- Still unconscious.
- Not good.
How are things back there?
Damned unsettling development here.
One of those four survivors
of the initial attack...
...Higgins, the airman...
With only two stings, he just died.
- What?
- He was doing fine.
I was thinking of releasing him.
Within minutes, his condition
turned critical. All the signs...
...of cardiovascular failure. He was
gone before we could reverse it.
Keep the survivors there until we
plot a recovery vs. relapse pattern.
How bad is it in Marysville?
About as bad as it can get.
216 dead, 33 victims still alive.
We don't know how many stings
per victim.
- We're too busy stabilizing them.
- Dr. Crane.
I'm sorry. I've got to go, Walter.
Is it me you're seeing, or a bee?
You.
- Dr. Crane.
- Yes?
General Slater is on the horn
with Washington.
- He requests your presence.
- Okay. I'll be back.
- I'll be up.
- Oh, no, you won't.
Paul.
Paul, what's the matter?
It's all my fault.
I threw firebombs at the swarm.
Oh, Paul.
You're going to have
to tell Dr. Crane.
I'd like to, general,
but Crane is in charge.
- I follow orders.
- We'll check them out.
Right. I'll keep in touch.
General.
Well, Crane, it's panic time
from coast to coast!
If we'd gone after the bees...
...instead of wasting time
with your science teams...
...we wouldn't be in this mess!
- Okay, what would you do?
I'd evacuate this area,
put up roadblocks across the state...
...and spray every tree and bush
from here to the gulf!
Let's take that a piece at a time.
Why evacuate?
Dr. Hubbard was out collecting
live Africans.
He brought them to the complex.
Thousands.
- How?
- They were on the surface of the lake.
Thirsty and exhausted.
We need specimens.
Wait! I don't see it that way.
The rest of the swarm
could be in the area.
- Major, get the final body count.
- Yes, sir.
General, you haven't
answered my question.
- What question?
- Why evacuate?
I've been trying to tell you.
When the swarm finds that their
friends have been taken captive...
...they might come back
to Marysville.
You endow the bees with human motives?
Like rescuing fellow bees?
Or seeking revenge on mankind?
I always credit my enemy,
no matter what he may be...
...with equal intelligence.
Okay, evacuate Marysville,
but not the complex.
- We won't waste time moving facilities!
- Agreed.
Now, about this spraying every bush
and tree between here and the gulf.
How will you manage?
Send out aircraft!
With radar and pesticides, I'd destroy
every African swarm in this country...
...wherever they are!
- Major?
- 232 dead, sir.
232 dead.
I know that, general!
The wind will carry pesticides across
cities, parks, farms and schools.
You have to choose
the lesser of two evils.
Ridiculous, general!
You want action and so do I!
We do it my way!
Now, give it a chance!
Dr. Crane!
Dr. Crane!
- I gotta talk to you.
- Okay.
It was my fault...
...what happened here with the bees.
I knew where they were...
...and I should've told you.
Why didn't you?
Because they killed my family!
I wanted to get them.
And I did,
I got a lot of them.
Then the rest of them
flew in the air and...
Hey, hey, Paul.
Come on.
I'd have done the same thing.
The exact same thing.
You gotta believe me.
Now, look at me, Paul.
Look at me.
When I was a little younger
than you...
...just about 7...
...we had a fire where we lived.
I lost my mother and father
that night.
It's not good to have to grow up
without a mother and father.
You can ask me.
I know firsthand.
I know a lot of unlucky kids
all over the world have to...
...but it sure isn't recommended.
Now...
...why don't you go back upstairs...
...and sort of keep an eye
on Dr. Anderson for me?
- Will you do that?
- Okay.
Good boy.
- Dr. Crane.
- Yes?
Can you give us 90 seconds?
- What can I tell you in 90 seconds?
- Everything you can.
Give me a second for my lead-in.
This is Anne MacGregor
in Marysville, Texas.
With me is Dr. Crane,
field director for Dr. Connors.
How can you prevent this tragedy
from happening elsewhere?
Do you have any answers?
At the moment, none.
Can the death toll
from bee attacks spread?
That's a possibility.
What are your science teams
working on?
Ways to isolate and eliminate
invading swarms.
Can you be specific?
- That's tough to do in 90 seconds.
- Take your time.
I'm afraid we don't have any to spare.
Excuse me, please.
Thank you.
Anne MacGregor, Marysville, Texas.
DC ready, not exceeding five volts.
Testing five volts.
Good.
DC activated.
- How's it going?
- We'll be ready in a minute.
Honey-coated.
Three volts at 0.5 amps.
Okay, bring on the gladiators.
I'll stir them up.
Pesky little devils.
Spread them all over the grid.
They're getting ready to attack.
They're stinging the hell
out of the grid.
- We're getting plenty of venom now.
- We need all we can get.
If there's a positive side
to the tragedy...
...it's finding these Africans
and the queen bees.
With all this venom,
I can go to work on an antidote.
That's fine.
Hubbard, can you have the
poison ready by morning?
By morning?
I don't see how.
Well...
That makes your deadline
even earlier, Walter.
Smells like bananas.
See how fast it dries.
- Any complications?
- No, Dr. Anderson just examined them.
Dr. Anderson?
When did she get back?
A short while ago, major.
I couldn't rest knowing
there are sick patients.
- Besides, Dr. Martinez says I'm fine.
- Good.
Captain, I've been planning on
having a private talk with you.
It's about this civilian, Crane.
I received confidential reports
about your association with him...
...which indicate your relationship
is now of a personal nature.
I didn't know you sent anyone
to spy on me.
Has Crane asked you anything about our
operation here, even indirectly?
Why should he?
He is a respected scientist...
...and has been appointed by the
president to head this project.
It still might be advisable for you
to discontinue the relationship.
All due respect, sir, what I do on my
off-duty time is my business...
...and doesn't concern the Air Force.
I shall continue to see
whomever I wish.
- Thank you.
- The doctor wants to say goodbye.
Doctor?
Oh, yes, Rita.
- About the baby, you're both fine.
- Oh, good.
- Real fine.
- Thank you.
Please sit down.
With everything happening,
I haven't had a chance to say...
...how sorry I am about Jerry.
Thank you, doctor.
I'll write to you.
Let you know about the baby.
- Do you have a place to go?
- Not really.
They just gave everyone
orders to leave.
Of course, there isn't
much to stay for, is there?
- Well...
- Goodbye. I have to go.
- The bus is waiting.
- Let me walk you.
- I'll see myself out. Goodbye.
- Good luck.
Thank you.
Only one suitcase to a person, please.
Move it along.
Not since thousands
fled the Oklahoma Dust Bowl...
...has a thriving American community
been evacuated.
No flood, fire or hurricane has made
such a large section...
...a no man's land, until now.
- Slow down.
- That's it. Move right along.
On the stairs, please!
Move forward.
- Have you seen Ms. Schuster?
- No, sir.
Continue up to the stairs.
- Hal, have you seen Ms. Schuster?
- No, sir, I haven't.
You lose something?
You never had
a good concept of time.
On our first date we didn't
see the whole double feature.
I worried you wouldn't get here.
I'm here. Shall we go?
- Yeah.
- Let go. I had it first.
I carried her books before
you showed up in Marysville. Let go!
Clarence, Felix!
You promised there
would be no more fussing.
And this surely isn't the time for it.
Let go!
All right. Follow the line.
Follow the line.
- everything that they hold dear...
...because of killer bees.
Imagine having such a natural
phenomenon do something...
Take this. Give me a hand with her.
Get her in the car.
- Is the hospital here operating?
- Yeah.
Thank you.
- You okay?
- It's better.
We'll get there.
- Thank you.
- Hold on.
Oh, hurry.
Enter the car with the number you were
issued. That car's number is five!
Get this train out of here.
The bees could be back any minute.
Where is Crane?
Don't worry, sir. He'll be here in time
to take credit for the evacuation.
Let me tell you something, major.
I don't tolerate my staff saying
things behind a man's back.
If you think Crane's a glory jockey,
tell him, not me.
If you're trying to butter me up by
slurring a man I consider misguided...
...I don't need that
from you, or anybody else.
Yes, sir.
Am I walking too fast?
No, I'm fine. Just fine.
Don't overdo it.
Dr. Martinez said you had
a close call.
How sad.
How very, very sad.
You know, Marysville
was such a happy little town.
Ritz's Bookstore.
I used to work there when
I was in high school.
Everything was happy then.
But that was so long ago.
It's all right.
You can tell a lot about a man
by the way he shuffles cards.
- Thank you, Clarence.
- Wasn't meant as a compliment.
Would you cut the cards?
- Something bothering you?
- What's wrong, Maureen?
I got a sudden feeling
I'll never see Marysville again.
Or any of my children.
It's frightening.
Maureen, that's not you.
You're an optimist.
- Always looking at the bright side.
- We'll be home soon...
...and this will be like a bad dream.
- That's right.
I suppose that's so.
But I can't shake this feeling that
something's closing in on us.
Now, now, Maureen.
Come on, deal, Felix.
- Sandwiches?
- No, thanks.
No, thank you.
- Ed?
- Yeah?
- There's a bee in here.
- A bee? Don't take any chances.
- Maybe he wants the apple.
- Well, give it to him.
- Goddamn! What will I do now?
- Don't move.
Don't get him mad!
No, Charlie!
When are we going to
stop this massacre?
- Our first airdrop is in a half-hour.
- I've seen what you plan to drop!
Those damn poison pellets
won't get us anywhere!
Those are my damn
poison pellets, and they'll work!
I'm counting on them working, or we
fall back to almost impossible odds.
My coming up with an antidote,
which might never be perfected.
Thank you, gentlemen,
for your support.
But, captain...
Feed this into the computer.
African bees attack a train...
...70 miles northwest of Houston.
Now, give me a revised
time fix, please.
I know how you feel, especially
due to what just happened...
...but right now we are ready
to drop millions of lethal pellets...
...without harming the
population or plant life.
- I'll support that.
- So will I.
What we need...
...is every helicopter you have.
All right, you've got them.
Revised timetable coming through, sir.
They're not touching the pellets!
They're not touching the pellets!
They seem to sense
it's something that will kill them.
They're brighter than we thought.
They always are.
Maybe you should have tried bourbon
and water and got them drunk.
It's all my fault.
I threw firebombs at the swarm.
It's all my fault.
I threw firebombs at the swarm.
You've got a beautiful 6-pound
beautiful daughter.
Thank you.
I guess it's true what they say...
...that a woman sort of falls in love
with her doctor at this time.
I hope you will feel the same way
tomorrow. And the day after.
And all of the days after.
Paul!
Tomas! Tomas!
Helena.
Why this one?
In the whole damn world,
why this boy?
My God, Brad.
What good is all that science?
All that equipment at the base?
All those doctors?
What good are you?
I didn't mean that.
You know I didn't.
Paul was my first case
when I was the town doctor.
He wanted to be an archaeologist.
- He would've been a terrific one.
- I'm sure of it.
You didn't tell me three of the
four survivors at the base had died.
Well, you had other problems.
And, you didn't tell me there's a
syndrome of relapse among survivors...
...shortly after they've been stung.
A fatal relapse.
Some do recover.
A small percentage.
But some do.
Some.
Well, the odds are better than none.
Well, you dropped your poison pellets
and the Africans spit at them.
They're moving to Houston
faster than expected.
General, you should know the enemy is
always expected to do the unexpected.
- Dr. Crane.
- Major Baker.
Let's hear your rundown.
"Three steel mills,
seven oil refineries...
...two beet sugar plants
and a nuclear power center.
Plus 46 towns,
not including Houston...
...are now directly
in the path of the Africans."
We'll evacuate the towns,
and close the factories.
We'll have trouble with
the nuclear power plant.
They won't shut down voluntarily.
Millions in the area need the energy.
If we don't shut them down,
the bees will.
I'll check with Washington
for a directive.
I know executives at that plant.
I fought them in court
on environmental issues.
I'll fly in and talk
some sense into them.
It might be a lot quicker
than Washington.
Okay. You got it. Thank you.
Miss!
More bad news?
Everything we tried has failed.
Our last hope is your mass antidote.
How close are you?
I've tried it on all these rabbits.
It knocks hell out of them.
These are the only two still alive.
I'm on the right track,
but I need time.
If you can't perfect it, we might
just as well pack it in right away...
...and ship out to New Zealand.
What we need is something
that people can self-inject...
...if they get stung by an African bee.
And we need it right now.
I get the picture. First thing
tomorrow, I'll try it on a human.
Like who?
- We'll come up with volunteers.
- Like me?
Forget it.
It'll take two or three days
to convince...
...anyone how much we need humans.
- Meanwhile, I'm here and I'm convinced.
- I'm not ready for you.
- When I am, I'll let you know.
- Okay.
Will you please start eating
the food they serve here?
It has been measured to ensure you get
energy for the long hours you work.
What the hell does a man have to do to
get a beer and a pizza around here?
All a man has to do, Walter, is ask.
All my notes are right here, Brad,
on the desk next to the recorder.
They contain the exact instructions,
and I mean exact...
...on how to prepare
the antidote I developed.
Every experiment,
with its individual notes...
...and conclusions,
is documented in this text.
I'm going to test the serum on myself.
Why?
Because you're fool
enough to make me try it on you.
It's my antidote,
so it'll be my risk.
First, I'm going to inject myself...
...with the same input of venom I'd
receive from the stings of six bees.
That's double the amount anybody has
been able to take and survive.
Then I'll see if I'll still be able to
use the self-injector with my serum...
...or whether muscular stiffness will
make it impossible.
I'll dictate the rest of this to the
other recorder.
I'm all ready.
Physiograph is recording,
everything is laid out.
The weal is rising instantly.
Now, from the moment of
being stung, a frightened victim...
...medically inexperienced, would
need about 60 seconds...
...to get the self-injector
from pocket or purse...
...pull up a sleeve, waste seconds
hesitating, afraid of the needle.
Finally, put it in. I'm going to give
myself the same 60 seconds.
Heartbeat rising rapidly.
Heartbeat now 140.
The antidote is on the table
in front of me.
Fifty-five seconds since I
administered the venom.
I'm gonna start reaching for it.
It won't move.
My arm feels like
it's strapped to my side.
Heartbeat, 160.
Close to outer limit.
Dropping now.
Good.
Good!
Going to normal.
Dropping now.
Dr. Krim, what are you doing?
You missed the tough part.
How much did you take?
- About six stings' worth.
- Oh, Dr. Krim.
Respiration still high...
...but not abnormally so.
Well, let's see now.
I administered the antidote about...
...sixty-six seconds after
the venom was injected.
The antidote works.
- My God. It works.
- Dr. Krim.
Now here's something.
The four physiological responses...
...are swinging
from norm to some really...
...spooky levels.
They don't want to stay down.
In fact, they're turning bad.
All of them.
Heart rate, rising again.
Oh, my God.
Losing...
...respiration.
First sign, respiratory arrest.
Doctor.
Walter.
Oh, Walter.
There it is.
- I just don't understand your request.
- You will. You will.
Have you any idea of the consequences
if I ask to shut down?
- Less disastrous than not.
- Look at all this.
Don't you realize we supply power over
a 500-mile area and purify water?
I realize that. I don't think
you realize how critical this is.
There's nothing here that
could attract bees.
The infrared rays could
act like a beacon.
No, no, doctor. See this.
Billions have been spent to make
these nuclear plants fail-safe!
The odds against anything going wrong
are astronomical.
I appreciate that,
but let me ask you...
...in your fail-safe techniques, is
there a provision against killer bees?
Andrews here. Come in, Control.
Control, this is Andrews.
What's happening?
Control, go to manual!
- The bees. Let's get out of here!
- No, no, no! This way.
Crane?
Crane!
I've been authorized by the president
to close down your operation.
From now on, the war against the bees
will be under military direction...
...the way it should've been
from the first.
- What's the ETA now?
- General?
I'll say this for you, Crane,
you tried.
In spite of what you might think,
I kind of hoped you'd pull it off.
Arrange protective crating for the two
oscilloscopes and fly to Houston.
- I'll see you there with the equipment.
- I'll be there.
I haven't surrendered yet, general.
- estimating that 600,000 people have
already been evacuated from Houston.
Elsewhere, people stayed indoors
or went to church.
Between their prayers
they watched the weather.
There was good news for most
of the country other than Texas...
... temperatures continued plunging
and cold air...
... coming down an Alaskan front kept
the Africans confined to Texas.
This is Frank Blair.
Who would've thought bees would be the
first alien force to invade America?
- Where are you going, sir?
- Air Force Headquarters.
Now, without the president's
authority, how can you possibly help?
Well, the least I can do is try.
General.
Hello, Crane.
- Doctor.
- General.
I'm really glad you're here
for the finale.
Is there anything I can do to help?
I'm not sure, but come with me.
- Very impressive.
- There'll be no more Africans...
...at least in Houston.
- You found a way to stop them?
I hope so. If we do it here,
we can do it anywhere.
This is a dress rehearsal, a procedure
for future African challenges.
This is Houston computerized,
and this is Houston.
You see, the bees have formed almost
a complete circle. Billions of them.
- That's what we've been waiting for.
- Waiting for what?
The battle plan is to get them all
into one area and then zap them!
Take a look over here.
- Captain. Doctor.
- Major.
You planned your arrival perfectly.
Here they come.
Freeze it.
- Prepare to use the neutracide!
- Neutracide?
Use that and nothing will grow
there for 10 years!
Why worry about shaving when
somebody's about to cut your head off?
Leader One to all aircraft. Deliver
your cargo on target. Now!
- They're coming through.
- They have learned to live with it.
I was afraid of this.
They've become immune
to any pesticide.
The occupation of Houston has begun...
...and General Slater is the
first officer in history...
...to get his butt kicked
by a mess of bugs!
You got any of that birdseed left?
As I said before, they're high
in potassium, low in sodium.
And as I said before, terrific.
How long can they live in the city?
If they get food and water, they might
just decide to stay here forever.
The Defense Department in Washington
has just confirmed the tragic news.
With the approval of the White House,
as a last resort...
... the city of Houston will suffer
man-made burning before daybreak.
This decision was reached
in accord with all opinions...
... from the armed forces
and scientists involved in the...
... fruitless countermeasures
being attempted...
... to destroy the killer bee which
has brought the West to a standstill.
The burnout is scheduled
to be handled within minutes.
Light them up.
Move out! Move out!
Burn them out!
Listen. They're still out there.
Billions of them.
It's as if it were their city.
Even though Slater's been at it for
24 hours with every soldier he can get.
You talk about the bees
as if you admired them.
I do. They never fail to astonish me.
It's as though a broad range
of contingencies...
...has been planned for by the creator
and programmed into them...
...for an endless future.
Making them the true inheritors
of the Earth.
A world without people.
Maybe the creator was equally
obliging toward us...
...and programmed into us the ability
to beat them.
Well, I wish he'd give us a clue.
Here, let me.
Right there, that's lovely.
- This is better than 8 hours' sleep.
- How would you know?
Listen. Listen.
- What is it?
- The bees.
Why are they making that sound?
That's the hunger tone.
It causes them to mass together...
...as if by community they can destroy
their enemy. Cold, hunger, anything.
I wonder if there is another sound
that's part of their ritual...
Helena? Helena,
are you all right, love?
Helena, what's the matter?
Darling?
I don't know what else we can do.
I'm very sorry.
Please God, let her live.
Sir, can we really count
on a scientist who prays?
I wouldn't count on one who doesn't.
- You can forget the dossier.
- Yes, sir.
Street Fighter to Topkick!
Come in Topkick, come in.
Topkick, can you read me?
You two, come here.
I can't get through.
Too much interference! Damn bees!
Listen, get back to headquarters.
Tell Slater we need reinforcements! Go!
You wonder, don't you?
Houston on fire.
Will history blame me or the bees?
- My compliments, general.
- On what, for God's sake?
On being able to maintain a
long-term historical perspective.
Well, Crane, at this point
there's no other viable perspective.
- Our time is up.
- Not quite, general.
We're ready with a final experiment.
Please don't give up.
- Okay.
- Thank you.
We'll do another half dozen of these,
get some sleep and start after lunch.
Okay.
What's this? We've not had this
before. Look at this, doctor, look.
Something's coming. Here we go.
We've done it.
- I don't believe this.
- Yes, we have.
General, we've done it.
Look, we've got a match.
We discovered two identical
sound patterns.
What has that
to do with killing bees?
What you are hearing is the African
bee's mating sound. But listen.
This was made by the alarm system,
not the bees. But they sound alike.
The alarm system at the missile base
drew them in.
The similarity confused them.
When it stopped, they left.
I don't understand.
The sonic alarm system happens
to be an exact duplicate of the duet...
...between the queen and the young
queen challenging her.
- But bees can't hear.
- That's right. They go by vibration.
The alarm felt like the vibration
of a ritual they had to attend.
Then you're saying our alarm system
attracted the bees into the complex.
Right. We'll use this very sound
to pull them out of Houston.
Okay, I'm convinced.
Kill the bees! Don't hit the man!
No! Get it up!
General? General!
- What is going on?
- The bees are inside!
Now what?
- You two get going!
- Not without Helena.
We'll take care of her. Use that new
weapon you've come up with.
Slater. Dodge Airfield.
Code seven. Fast!
- General!
- Get out!
I'm going to get Helena.
You know what has to be done!
Major!
There's no time for that! Let's go!
Put this around you. Drop them!
- Newman!
- Go, Brad! Go!
Move out!
General!
Dr. Crane, this is Dodge Field,
Air Tower Number Two.
We read General Slater's instructions
loud and clear.
We're prepared to assist in every
possible way. Come in, Dr. Crane.
- Do you read me?
- Affirmative.
Load the choppers with the sound horns.
Spread the oil slick. Acknowledge.
- Roger.
- Out. Let's go.
To all Air Force tankers. Spread
your oil over the Gulf of Mexico.
Four minutes to flaming.
- Ready.
- Fine.
- Is this right?
- Is there one on the side?
- Yes, sir.
- Well, please hurry!
Won't the noise drown out your sound?
No, it's an entirely different
sonic level.
All set, sir.
Rescue Five to Alpha One.
Come in, please.
Ditch sound floats!
Rescue Five to Alpha Two. Come in.
Rescue Five to Alpha Three.
Pilot, get us to the firing point
as quickly as you can.
Here they come!
Operation Sonic Drop complete.
All clear.
Okay. Thank you.
Fire it now!
Fire one! Fire two! Fire three!
Fire four! Fire five!
Did we finally beat them?
- Or is this just a temporary victory?
- I don't know.
But we did gain time. If we use
it wisely and if we're lucky...
...the world might just survive.
Stand by.
Red-Two reporting, sir.
- Slater here.
- General, all personnel dead, sir.
No enemy force on site.
The only security breach a civilian
van, but no driver to be found.
Any evidence this is a preemptive
CW strike?
- No, sir.
- Coming in.
Go on in.
Sergeant.
Who the hell are you?
Relax, major. Please, take your finger
off the trigger and I will explain.
- That your van out by the gate?
- Yeah.
How'd you get in the complex?
It's a complicated story. It starts
a year ago, but let's skip that.
Let me tell you about last night
and this morning.
Search him.
What's that?
- Man your positions.
- Sunflower seeds.
Get it analyzed.
- Who is this?
- The van driver, sir.
- What the hell is he doing here?
- Unidentified force. Range, 30 miles.
- Closing from what direction?
- Not closing. Outgoing.
Check him out...
...and tell him to put his hands down.
- Yes, sir.
- What have you got?
- Estimated speed, seven miles per hour.
- Seven?
- Whatever it is, it's big.
Slater to Air Search One.
Contact and identify outgoing objects
bearing 183 degrees.
Distance, 30 miles. Estimated speed,
seven miles per hour.
Repeat, that's seven miles
per hour, not 700.
Air Search One to Topkick, roger.
Air Search One to Topkick.
We have visual contact.
- Identify.
- A black mass. A moving black mass!
Zero altitude, dead ahead.
- They're hitting us!
- Oh, my God!
We're out of control!
Oh, my God! Bees! Millions of bees!
Air Search 2-8 to Base.
- Bees! Millions of bees!
- Bees?
They're all around!
All over the canopy, trying to get in!
- Get above them, man! Take it up!
- I can't, sir. I'm losing power!
Oh, my God!
He's down, sir.
Good lord.
Call Hastings Air Force Base. Have
them scramble and track those bees.
Major! Bring him in here!
This is Capt. Cord
at the missile complex.
This is an order
from General Slater.
Scramble aircraft and track a swarm
of bees 30 miles from the complex.
Yes, bees!
Now, what's his story?
- Bradford Crane, sir.
- That all?
Ph.D., Institute of Advanced Study,
Princeton, via Cambridge.
- English?
- American, for the last eight years.
Well, Dr. Crane, you're in big trouble.
- What are you doing in this complex?
- I saw the swarms, early this morning.
There were so many they blotted out the
sun. I followed, but they were gone.
Then I saw the missile gates open
and I thought they'd flown down here.
I came to see if anybody was alive.
If I could help.
- In his van?
- Scientific equipment.
- What kind? Sabotage, explosives?
- Biological. We're checking it out.
- Who are you?
- I'm an entomologist.
- Bugs?
- Insects. What I do is not important.
What is important...
...is that there are other
swarms, and what these bees did...
...they can do all over
the Southwest...
...and all over the country.
- Bees killed the men here?
- Yes. Just like your choppers.
- I don't know what happened yet.
Thousands of people are stung
by bees every year.
It's rare if anybody dies
from bee stings!
- They have to be African, don't they?
- Killer bees?
- Yes.
- Not likely. I've read reports.
If they ever manage to come north,
it's 10 years away.
By whose timetable, general,
yours or theirs?
Either you're some crackpot...
...or there's a direct tie-up between
what's happened here and you!
We can clear that up,
and we'd better!
Kick on your system and patch
through to Dr. Connors.
- Arthur Connors, the adviser?
- That's him.
Are you trying to cite him
as your authority?
Dr. Connors hasn't the foggiest idea
whether I'm on or under this complex.
- I have to speak to him right now!
- Lock him up!
- Yes, sir.
- General, thank God you got here, sir.
- What?
- This is Dr. Anderson.
She managed to get six men into the
hospital in time to isolate them.
Two are dead, the others
are critical. I need antitoxins.
- I have cardiopep compound in my van.
- Cardiopep?
I just read an article
about cardiopep...
...by some scientist
named Crane, I think.
Our preliminary results
are encouraging.
You're Crane?
Yes. Our tests indicate cardiopep
normalizes irregular heartbeat.
Now, wait a minute. We're not
using experimental substances.
This is his area.
It seems to me if he feels...
I don't give a damn! You're the doctor!
Tell me what you need.
- I'll have it in 30 minutes.
- That's the problem. I don't know.
None of the procedures seem to help.
I need an immunologist.
Get the Center for Disease Control.
The best in the country is Walter Krim.
You'll find his card in my wallet.
Call him.
- Go ahead.
- I know him very well.
I'd be pleased to talk to him.
All right. Go with him. Go with him.
- What happened here, captain?
- I'm sorry. You mean you don't know?
Well, not exactly.
- We were attacked by bees.
- Attacked?
I was in the hospital bunker.
I turned on the video control unit,
saw what was happening...
...our men above ground were
literally covered with bees.
I used an air-conditioning duct
to lead the crew out.
The bees attacked when we reached
the hospital.
I managed to get six men inside.
It's damn hard to believe that...
...insects have accomplished what
nothing in the world could've done...
...except germ warfare
or a neutron bomb:
Neutralize an ICBM site.
Okay, let's go. Come on, Paul.
- All right.
- Wow. Isn't this beautiful?
Neat.
Here, Paul, take this.
- Here you go, hon.
- Thanks, babe.
Paul, look at that over there.
I think there's a waterfall
we can go to after.
- Hand me the cups, please.
- Sure.
Would you go to the car
and get the thermos?
Go away.
- It's just a bee. Leave him alone.
- They're into everything.
I'll get them.
Get out of the way, honey.
I think that's enough, you're gonna
wreck the food. I'm hungry.
It's so hot.
- Hey, wait for Paul.
- I can't. I'm starving.
Mom, Dad! Look!
Dad! Come on, get in the car.
Mom!
Dad!
Mom!
Mom! Dad!
General Thompson coming on-screen.
General, we've received
and decoded your report.
We're having credibility problems
with the nature of the attack.
Specifically, with your statement
it was not a chemical war strike.
We can find no evidence of that, sir.
Your suggestion the attack is natural.
What is that?
I'm having the same problem accepting
that swarms of bees attacked...
Has that civilian
been cleared, general?
No, sir.
What is he doing in our complex?
When I arrived with my special defense
unit, he was already inside the complex.
He claims he walked in through
the open gate.
I am Dr. Brad Crane, an entomologist.
I asked your man to check my
credentials with Dr. Arthur Connors.
Nobody believes me.
I have been placed in custody.
Every minute now is precious.
We have been invaded by an enemy
far more lethal than any human force.
Well, Dr. Crane, we're going to check
with the White House.
Dr. Connors had better know you,
for your sake.
- Afternoon, Felix.
- Afternoon, ma'am.
- How are you feeling today?
- Now that you're here, just fine.
Nicely said.
Everything's looking pretty, Maureen,
including you.
Thank you, Clarence. The wire
and the pliers, please.
Felix, think that rigging
is going to keep my banner up?
Just because you're mayor of Marysville
doesn't make you an engineer.
Don't be worrying about my rigging.
She'll stay up in a hurricane.
I was thinking how corny your banner
reads. Makes us look like hicks.
Nobody asked you
to retire here, you know.
Clarence, that's not nice.
We've been doing fine with our
Flower Festival...
...until this master mechanic genius
came to tell us how to run things.
Well, actually, the sign is sort of
hicky. That's what people expect.
The hammer too. That's why
thousands flock here each year...
...to see the parade and our beautiful
flower floats.
That's right. We'll grant this
isn't Pasadena.
It isn't the Rose Bowl.
It's a country-town imitation!
I'll tell you one thing
I do approve of.
This year's theme: "Love."
- Now, that was Clarence's idea.
- That's right.
Well, everybody's got to have one good
idea now and then...
...even Clarence.
- Now look, Felix...
Mom, Dad.
This way! Quick!
They killed my mom and my dad!
Yes, sir. Yes, sir.
We'll do the best we can, sir,
and thank you, sir.
General Thompson coming on-screen.
Dr. Crane, your credentials
have been authenticated.
Nothing more?
While I confess to being surprised...
... but the president has placed
you in direct command...
... of all operations relating
to this emergency.
What are the limits to my authority?
- None. General Slater.
- Yes, sir.
You will provide full cooperation.
You will give him equipment, whatever
facilities and manpower he needs.
All this is to be made available
to him without question.
- Without question, sir?
- Affirmative.
- Dr. Crane.
- Yes.
The president's adviser,
Dr. Connors...
... told me he'll be calling
you within an hour...
... and I'd like to join
in wishing you good luck.
Thank you.
Major, when you checked
the nonlethal equipment in my van...
...did you come across
a beat-up briefcase?
- Yes, sir.
- Are you familiar with its contents?
Yes, sir. An inventory of the contents
is in the process of being typed.
Correction, sir. Was being typed.
Thank you. I want the particular file
that I marked "Personnel"...
...to give to General Slater.
- Yes, sir.
While you're about it,
could I have my leather pouch?
- The one with the sunflower seeds.
- Sergeant...
...would you get the items
he requested?
The file contains names, addresses
and numbers of everyone I want.
Just tell them the war I've always
talked about has finally started.
- That's all? They'll drop everything?
- I'm counting on it.
- Anything else?
- Yes. In that briefcase...
...there is a list of equipment. Get
the Pentagon's top procurement man...
...and get everything on that
list not later than tomorrow.
Why here?
Because we're setting up here, general.
Time is the one thing we're short on.
Now, I want to talk
to the survivors, please.
- Take Dr. Crane to Captain Anderson.
- Yes, sir. Come with me.
Yes.
Brother.
Major...
...I believe you were an investigative
officer in Intelligence, right?
That's correct, sir.
Okay, I'm assigning you
to this Dr. Crane...
...as his personal military liaison.
Watch every move he makes.
Build me a dossier on him.
I can't believe he just happened
to be here at the moment...
...a swarm of bees hit this complex...
...and that he'd already prepared
with such remarkable foresight...
...a list of personnel and equipment
to be flown in here.
It does seem strange, sir.
- Stay with the son of a bitch.
- Yes, sir.
This man is the most stable,
but his heart rate is still 120.
Take another blood sample
just before Dr. Krim gets here.
That would be three hours
at the outside.
Infirmary, Major Baker.
Well, hold on a minute.
Captain Anderson?
Dr. Anderson.
Oh, my God!
- I'm leaving right now.
- What is it?
The bees killed all
the Durant family except Paul.
- I must go to him.
- I'll go with you. Major, you drive.
Paul Durant.
- C-4.
- Thank you.
There's a bee in here! Please, help!
There's a bee in here!
- Relax, Paul. Take it easy.
- Get him away! Kill him!
- Paul! Paul!
- Doctor, would you let him go, please?
- Do what he says, Tomas.
- Back away. Back away.
Paul? Paul? Listen to me.
- There is no bee in this room.
- Yes, there is.
You are having a nightmare.
Only a nightmare.
Can you hear me, Paul?
The bee is not real.
Paul, I promise you it isn't.
Now, reach out and it will go away.
You'll see.
Now, please, Paul, reach out.
Reach out, Paul.
Please trust me.
Reach out, further. Go on.
There. You see, Paul?
- No bee.
- Everything I tried failed.
I was afraid I was going to lose him.
I know how special he is to you,
so I called you.
- Thank you.
- How many times was he stung?
- I removed two stingers.
- Well, that's one break.
- He's not full of venom.
- But he's delirious...
...muttering about this giant bee.
- It was big! It was really big.
About half the size of this room!
It's gone now, Paul. It was only
in your mind, and he won't be back.
- I have to go.
- Dr. Crane...
...thank you for helping me.
Contact the complex, please.
Two things:
General Slater must assign helicopters
to start a search...
...radiating from the site where
the Durants were attacked.
But the helicopters must take
no aggressive action.
We're gathering information, not
attacking.
- Clear?
- Clear.
Second item: Have the complex call me
the moment Dr. Krim is about to land.
Here come your choppers, as ordered.
Thank you, general.
No, thanks.
- High in potassium, low in sodium.
- Terrific.
Sergeant, start your patterns.
Start your dispersal pattern
in sectors A and B.
Report immediately
any sighting of swarms.
Roger.
- Tell us what you're looking for.
- I'm looking for bees.
Unfortunately, they washed down
the Durant car before we got to it.
Look.
Doesn't look like a bee to me.
Plastic.
It's a piece of a plastic cup.
There are pieces all around here.
Look. There, there.
What's so significant about that?
I'm afraid to speculate...
...but I think the bees did this.
You saying these bees
eat plastic?
No, no.
But I'm wondering.
Honey bees have a weak mouth.
They couldn't break
the skin of a grape.
But it looks like this species
is tearing up plastic cups...
...possibly to line their hives.
Now, if this is true,
they didn't just get here.
I mean, the invasion didn't
just now begin.
They have been here some time.
Breeding. Increasing.
So?
Well, suppose these bees...
...are using plastic to
insulate their hives.
No bee is that smart.
Suppose these African bees are.
Walter!
Got a message for you
from Mrs. Krim.
Carol is furious at me
for dragging you back to work.
She says I'm not the only
immunologist in the world.
That's what you always told me.
Ready to go to work, Dr. Krim?
Now I am, Dr. Crane.
- This is General Slater.
- Just let me know what you need.
Thanks, general.
We've got to move fast.
I agree...
...and in my opinion, the fastest move
is a quick knockout.
Not necessarily, general.
It's only the final result
that counts.
Thanks, Brad.
The hallucinations are disappearing.
None of the patients have had
a recurrence in the past few hours.
Well, you're doing everything you can.
- Keep these IVs going.
- Yes, sir.
Is there any other antitoxin
we could've used?
If the bees that stung them
were African...
...the answer's probably no.
Got nothing in our bag for them.
Cardiopep may have eased
their palpitations...
...but it's no final antidote.
Call me if there's
any change in these men.
- They don't look very good, do they?
- I'm afraid not.
You still refuse to oil this?
I don't intend to be
stuck in this thing forever.
Have you finally met
some miracle healer?
I'm studying Tibetan levitation.
In a few hundred years,
I expect to be able to float around.
- You still writing dirty books?
- Not this year.
Raunchiest thing I ever read...
...that paper of yours on the
mating habits of Bombus medius.
Those queen bees are something.
Sergeant, this is Dr. Krim.
The two officers
are Drs. Richards and Moore.
Until they finish their work,
you don't admit anyone.
Have someone oil these wheels.
You okay, Brad?
Yeah.
Go on. I'll handle this part
and call you when I'm ready.
Walter...
...thanks for coming over here
so quickly.
- Problem, doctor?
- About what?
Well, I noticed that Dr. Crane
seemed uneasy in here.
Can't imagine why he'd be uneasy
around all these dead men.
Can you, major?
Well, is he coming or isn't he?
Yes, sir, the general is coming,
but you have to wait outside.
What's this about
shutting off our water?
- Are you in charge?
- Yes, I'm General Slater.
Well, I'm Jud Hawkins.
I asked these tin soldiers
if I could see my son...
...and they tell me it's impossible.
Why do you think he's here?
Because he was stupid enough
to join your damn outfit.
Airman Mark Hawkins.
He's stationed here.
I want to see him.
I'm afraid that's not possible.
Not yet.
I'll tell you what makes it possible.
Me being the county engineer.
That makes it possible.
Do you understand me, general?
lmpossible!
I control all the damn water
in this county...
...and by God, I'll shut yours off
unless I get to see my son!
I'll shut this whole base down
in 10 minutes.
You won't even have enough water
to flush your toilets.
I'm not sure you have
the authority to do that.
Well, while you're checking
with your superiors...
...l'll be turning valves.
Now, you listen to me.
Word is, them same bees
that killed the Durant family...
...killed a whole lot of men
on this base.
I want to see my son.
I want to find out if he's alive,
and I mean right now!
All right, Mr. Hawkins.
Open it up.
Come with me.
Anything?
The toxic content in their tissue
is the highest I've ever found.
It's more virulent than the
Australian brown-box jellyfish.
If that baby taps you, you have
two minutes to say your prayers.
Well...
That's it, then?
Looks like your nightmare
has finally arrived.
The combined venom delivered by
three of these bees...
...may be a fatal dosage
to the average human being.
The victim would be unconscious
in a minute.
We've been losing the battle
against the insects for 15 years...
...but I never thought I'd see
the final face-off in my lifetime.
And I never dreamed that it would
turn out to be the bees.
- They've been our friends.
- Until this species evolved.
General Slater is outside with
next of kin of one of the dead men.
- He wants to come in here?
- It's imperative.
All right.
Oh, God! No!
I'm afraid you can't take him,
Mr. Hawkins.
The only way you can stop me
is to shoot me...
...and I'd thank you if you would.
Hubbard. Dr. Newman.
- Thanks for coming.
- Glad to help.
You should know I came reluctantly.
Well, that's better than not at all,
now isn't it?
This way, gentlemen.
Would you excuse me a moment?
When the others arrive,
give them 30 minutes to unpack...
...then have them go
to the briefing room.
Gentlemen.
Rude son of a bitch, isn't he?
Never even introduced us.
You'd think he's a general.
- He's asked for the duty watch tapes.
- Why?
He knows there's an automatic
taping system in the duty room.
He wants to see just prior
to the attack.
I've already played them back.
Nothing that'll help us.
But let him hear it.
- Stay with him. Build up that dossier.
- Yes, sir.
So, what about Rita?
No more slinging hash.
I'm gonna marry her.
Just because you're gonna
have a kid.
I'd marry her whether we were
gonna have a kid or not.
At the tone, mark 0430.
We're scheduled to test
the alarm system...
... right after the 0430 mark.
Stand by. Activating.
- What alarm system is that?
- A fallback...
...in case we lose the phone lines
or radio contact.
What's that?
- Just the alarm.
- No, listen.
- Jerry, do you hear what I'm hearing?
- Yeah.
Duty officer.
Right away, sir.
A couple million chain saws!
- That came from the corridor.
- I'll go look.
Jerry! Behind you!
My God!
- Dr. Crane, they're ready for you now.
- Okay.
Keep the tapes on.
I want to hear them again.
- How's Paul?
- Recovering, thank you.
That's good.
Good morning, ladies, gentlemen.
Please forgive the haste and secrecy
with which you've been summoned here.
We've been invaded by a mutant species
of the African killer bee.
Crane, if I may.
Yes, Dr. Hubbard?
I was sent by the president to help,
but I think you're dead wrong.
I was one of the first people
sent to Brazil...
...when the killer bee
began proliferating.
We prefer to call this bee
Brazilian, not African.
I'm well aware of that, Dr. Hubbard.
I've been tracking
their progress north...
...and there is no evidence
whatsoever...
...that they've even crossed
Central America.
Apparently, they crossed
the Caribbean from Venezuela.
There were three hurricanes
in that ocean tract this season.
Any one of them could have
swept the bees in.
Much of this land is used
to cultivate flowers.
A perfect breeding ground.
With all due respect
to the men who died here...
...there's no proof that the bees
that killed them were Brazilian.
Or, if you insist, African.
What's important is what they are.
And what they are is a mutant species
of the original African killer bee.
Dr. Krim will explain.
The autopsies confirm
that the venom...
...is deadlier than anything
we've encountered.
It appears there's enough poison
in just four stings...
...to kill the average person.
I won't dispute
my learned colleague...
...but it takes 26 tests
to identify the African.
How many tests have you made so far?
Major.
You're looking at the final test
I made this morning...
...from the one dead bee
that we found.
Notice the 18-vein intersection
on the forewing...
...and the 17 separate angles
of the hamuli.
Only one bee has that configuration...
...and that is the African killer bee.
Major.
Dr. Hubbard...
...I would appreciate it if you would
head up our environmental team.
Dr. Newman will be in charge
of the genetic counterattack.
Dr. Krim will try to develop
a mass antidote...
...to save the lives
of future victims.
Because of the danger to nearby
Marysville, if the bees attack...
...l've invited Mayor Tuttle and
School Superintendent Ms. Schuster...
...to attend this briefing.
Any comment?
Mayor Tuttle.
Thank you.
In view of what you've told us,
I'll set up a town council meeting.
I'll see that our air-raid
warning system is repaired.
It hasn't worked in some time.
If the bees come back, at least we can
warn people to take shelter.
A very practical approach.
Ms. Schuster.
The idea of those killer bees
coming back is petrifying.
I'll alert all my teachers
to be prepared for the worst.
I appreciate your thoughtfulness
in asking us to this briefing.
- Thank you, Dr. Crane.
- You're welcome, Ms. Schuster.
Any further comment?
What's our timetable?
Eight-hour shifts, round the clock.
I meant, what's the length
of our program?
How long can we expect to be here?
Until we have destroyed
the African bee...
...or it has destroyed us.
Psst! Hey!
- You guys ready?
- Yeah!
- Give me the binoculars and let's go.
- Okay.
- Morning!
- Hi, boys!
Morning, Rita.
Morning, Mr. Austin.
Instead of the usual,
I'll just have coffee.
- All right.
- I'll get it, Rita.
Morning, Felix!
I would think you'd let her
have some time off.
At least let her go
to the missile base...
...and pick up Jerry's things.
I told her!
I even said to her, "Rita...
...go home for a few days
and pull yourself together."
And she said:
"If I went home, and stared at them
four walls, knowing Jerry's gone...
...l'm just liable to take his
service pistol and blow my head off."
She's better off
pretending it never happened.
Pretending them killer bees
never got up here.
I bet I can guess what schoolteacher
them roses belong to.
You don't need no crystal ball
for that.
The way I hear it,
Maureen is favoring you over Clarence.
- I sure am counting on it.
- Yes, sir.
The odds have shifted in your favor.
Now, them is my kind of odds.
- I gotta be going.
- So soon?
- Yeah, but I'll be seeing you.
- Have a good day.
- Oh, Maureen.
- Morning, Felix.
- I got you some roses.
- Oh, Felix. They are lovely.
I usually get apples.
Oh, Maureen. I...
Something wrong, Felix?
I'm not too good with words...
...but I am a retired
master mechanic...
...and my education, well...
...it's all in these hands.
And I know you know
what I'm trying to say.
Your roses speak for you.
Most eloquently.
Thank you.
And I'm mindful of it.
Then there is hope for me?
Oh, look at the time.
I'd better hurry.
How'd it look for me to be late?
Let me help you.
And I'll keep your roses near me.
- As a reminder.
- Thank you.
- I'll see you real soon.
- You will.
- Bye.
- Bye.
We'll come back later.
We have to plan this just right.
These aren't just any old bees.
This is Anne MacGregor.
We're heading for Marysville
to investigate a report...
... of a savage bee attack.
A mother and father are dead,
and their son is injured.
My next report...
- Kill it.
- Yes, sir.
We've picked up a huge swarm.
This puts it only 200 miles
from Houston.
I have choppers ready.
We'll eliminate them.
- With what?
- Airborne chemical agents.
May we talk? Alone?
Sure.
We didn't discuss using chemicals.
Now, listen.
My orders are to assist you
in your scientific endeavors...
...not to consult you
on military matters...
...which are none of your
damn concern, sir!
General, please.
These bees are of joint concern.
They kill Americans without regard for
whether or not they should salute you.
There will be no airdrops
until I give the okay.
Your okay, huh?
Then perhaps I can persuade you
to attack this particular swarm.
Now we know where it is.
Attack and eliminate it!
Possibly, if you can explain to me...
...how you airdrop chemicals
without killing native insects.
If you kill the African bee
you'll also kill the American.
Better a few American bees than
a lot of American people.
That is the point, general!
The honey bee
is vital to the environment!
In America, they pollinate
six billion dollars' worth of crops!
Killing the bee kills the crop!
Killing the plant kills the people!
No! No, general!
There will be no airdrop until
we know what we're dropping...
...and where and how!
Excuse me.
What about the airdrop, sir?
Sir?
- The 0430 mark.
- Okay. Stand by, activating.
- Jerry, do you hear what I'm hearing?
- Yeah.
What is it?
Sounds like a couple million
chain saws!
- That came from the corridor.
- I'll go look.
Jerry! Behind you!
My God!
Oh, God, no! No!
Come on, let's get them!
We've got to kill them this time!
Ready, now!
Let's get out of here!
I can't imagine where he's gone.
We've looked everywhere.
He's been running a fever.
I got him to the clinic after
the funeral, but then he disappeared.
We'll find him.
With everything else you have on your
shoulders, you didn't need this.
I know I'm taking you away
from all your responsibilities.
Paul is one of them.
Besides, I like being with you.
You're the one good thing
that's happened to me.
I like that. I really do.
What is it?
Look.
The bees.
They're heading toward Marysville.
- I'll beat you outside!
- No, you won't.
Now, Miss Cook?
In a minute, Mr. Tuttle.
- Is this what you want?
- No, I need a note from your mother.
- Now, Mr. Tuttle.
- Thank you.
Would you excuse me?
That'd be all right.
Well, Clarence,
who's minding the store?
Maureen, how long
have we known each other?
- Maybe you'd better sit down.
- No, thanks, I'll stand. How long?
I remember you in short pants...
...but I don't wanna figure out
how long ago that was.
In all that time,
have you ever heard me beg?
Not you, Clarence.
You're a high-spirited,
independent soul.
Well, Maureen, I'm willing to beg now.
Yes? Blue will do.
Where was I? Oh, yes.
Maureen, I want you to marry me.
Oh, Clarence, do sit down.
Name the date and I'll make
all the arrangements.
- I'm not sure I'm the wife you need.
- You'd be the best wife in the world.
I think I'm already married,
completely married to this school.
Maureen, I love you.
People think I'm just an old man
behind the aspirin counter...
...but in my heart I'm as young
as I ever was, maybe younger.
And I want to take care of you.
Thank you, Clarence.
Well, I guess I have to choose,
don't I?
I guess that's about
what it comes down to.
Please hold the calls.
I know I may not win out...
...because, though I pretend
I can't stand Felix...
...I know he's a fine man
and he'd make a good husband.
But I know one thing. I love you.
I always have, and I always will...
...no matter what you decide.
How lucky I am.
Well...
...all right.
I'll give you both my answer
before the end of this school term.
How's that?
That's fair enough, I guess.
Oh, I brought these for you.
Thank you.
Why'd they send us varsity here?
Any stringer could cover this story.
No, this isn't just about
a family killed by bees.
Something else is going on.
I can feel it.
- We're first on the spot.
- Okay, Anne, if you say so.
Well, let's check in.
Get back.
I've got it right here in front of me.
The African bees!
The African bees are back!
Get everyone inside, and lock up!
Call the park! Call the field!
I'll call the school!
Get inside! The bees are coming!
Get inside!
The killer bees are coming!
Those bees are coming.
Get the kids into the building.
Don't you understand?
The killer bees are coming!
- Get them inside!
- Take any children with you!
Quickly, get inside!
Take your children with you!
If you see any children alone,
take them with you!
Keep all the vents closed
and don't let anybody out.
I understand.
I'll do it immediately.
Attention. Attention.
This is Miss Schuster.
Please listen very carefully.
A swarm of killer bees
is coming this way.
I want every teacher
and every student...
...to close off whatever area you may
be in at this very moment.
Children! Children!
It's all right.
Quiet. Quiet.
Here they come! Inside, fast!
Get it all on tape!
Close your windows and doors!
Stay inside! Please, listen to us!
Run!
- Brad!
- Get some ice!
They're coming in here!
- Is there a freezer?
- This way.
Get in it.
Mr. Harris! He's locked it!
Hey!
- Is he crazy?
- He's afraid of everything!
Aren't we safe in here?
I don't know.
No, the air conditioning.
They'll come through the vents.
Just a minute.
It's 40 degrees in here.
We'll be all right.
Bees don't function well
in temperatures under 50.
Helena!
I'm reporting from Marysville.
The swarm left a devastated community.
The town is reeling
from the vicious raid...
... that left many of
their friends dead.
The town was preparing
for its Flower Festival.
Authorities speculate
the nearby fields...
This is Frank Blair.
We await a statement from the
president's top adviser, Dr. Connors.
Dr. Connors is evaluating
data from Bradford Crane...
... the leading authority
on the deadly African bee.
Crane is now at the scene
of the tragedy.
- Dr. Krim.
- Did you locate him?
We're trying our mobile units.
Stand by.
Every opening into homes, churches,
schools and offices is being closed.
Scientific authorities are warning
against overreacting.
Scientists believe this tragedy
is a freak, localized phenomenon...
... and could not possibly be repeated.
Take it easy.
Okay, there we go.
Come this way.
Clear the way.
- Hello.
- Krim here.
Hi, it's Brad.
I just heard about Helena.
Is she all right?
- Still unconscious.
- Not good.
How are things back there?
Damned unsettling development here.
One of those four survivors
of the initial attack...
...Higgins, the airman...
With only two stings, he just died.
- What?
- He was doing fine.
I was thinking of releasing him.
Within minutes, his condition
turned critical. All the signs...
...of cardiovascular failure. He was
gone before we could reverse it.
Keep the survivors there until we
plot a recovery vs. relapse pattern.
How bad is it in Marysville?
About as bad as it can get.
216 dead, 33 victims still alive.
We don't know how many stings
per victim.
- We're too busy stabilizing them.
- Dr. Crane.
I'm sorry. I've got to go, Walter.
Is it me you're seeing, or a bee?
You.
- Dr. Crane.
- Yes?
General Slater is on the horn
with Washington.
- He requests your presence.
- Okay. I'll be back.
- I'll be up.
- Oh, no, you won't.
Paul.
Paul, what's the matter?
It's all my fault.
I threw firebombs at the swarm.
Oh, Paul.
You're going to have
to tell Dr. Crane.
I'd like to, general,
but Crane is in charge.
- I follow orders.
- We'll check them out.
Right. I'll keep in touch.
General.
Well, Crane, it's panic time
from coast to coast!
If we'd gone after the bees...
...instead of wasting time
with your science teams...
...we wouldn't be in this mess!
- Okay, what would you do?
I'd evacuate this area,
put up roadblocks across the state...
...and spray every tree and bush
from here to the gulf!
Let's take that a piece at a time.
Why evacuate?
Dr. Hubbard was out collecting
live Africans.
He brought them to the complex.
Thousands.
- How?
- They were on the surface of the lake.
Thirsty and exhausted.
We need specimens.
Wait! I don't see it that way.
The rest of the swarm
could be in the area.
- Major, get the final body count.
- Yes, sir.
General, you haven't
answered my question.
- What question?
- Why evacuate?
I've been trying to tell you.
When the swarm finds that their
friends have been taken captive...
...they might come back
to Marysville.
You endow the bees with human motives?
Like rescuing fellow bees?
Or seeking revenge on mankind?
I always credit my enemy,
no matter what he may be...
...with equal intelligence.
Okay, evacuate Marysville,
but not the complex.
- We won't waste time moving facilities!
- Agreed.
Now, about this spraying every bush
and tree between here and the gulf.
How will you manage?
Send out aircraft!
With radar and pesticides, I'd destroy
every African swarm in this country...
...wherever they are!
- Major?
- 232 dead, sir.
232 dead.
I know that, general!
The wind will carry pesticides across
cities, parks, farms and schools.
You have to choose
the lesser of two evils.
Ridiculous, general!
You want action and so do I!
We do it my way!
Now, give it a chance!
Dr. Crane!
Dr. Crane!
- I gotta talk to you.
- Okay.
It was my fault...
...what happened here with the bees.
I knew where they were...
...and I should've told you.
Why didn't you?
Because they killed my family!
I wanted to get them.
And I did,
I got a lot of them.
Then the rest of them
flew in the air and...
Hey, hey, Paul.
Come on.
I'd have done the same thing.
The exact same thing.
You gotta believe me.
Now, look at me, Paul.
Look at me.
When I was a little younger
than you...
...just about 7...
...we had a fire where we lived.
I lost my mother and father
that night.
It's not good to have to grow up
without a mother and father.
You can ask me.
I know firsthand.
I know a lot of unlucky kids
all over the world have to...
...but it sure isn't recommended.
Now...
...why don't you go back upstairs...
...and sort of keep an eye
on Dr. Anderson for me?
- Will you do that?
- Okay.
Good boy.
- Dr. Crane.
- Yes?
Can you give us 90 seconds?
- What can I tell you in 90 seconds?
- Everything you can.
Give me a second for my lead-in.
This is Anne MacGregor
in Marysville, Texas.
With me is Dr. Crane,
field director for Dr. Connors.
How can you prevent this tragedy
from happening elsewhere?
Do you have any answers?
At the moment, none.
Can the death toll
from bee attacks spread?
That's a possibility.
What are your science teams
working on?
Ways to isolate and eliminate
invading swarms.
Can you be specific?
- That's tough to do in 90 seconds.
- Take your time.
I'm afraid we don't have any to spare.
Excuse me, please.
Thank you.
Anne MacGregor, Marysville, Texas.
DC ready, not exceeding five volts.
Testing five volts.
Good.
DC activated.
- How's it going?
- We'll be ready in a minute.
Honey-coated.
Three volts at 0.5 amps.
Okay, bring on the gladiators.
I'll stir them up.
Pesky little devils.
Spread them all over the grid.
They're getting ready to attack.
They're stinging the hell
out of the grid.
- We're getting plenty of venom now.
- We need all we can get.
If there's a positive side
to the tragedy...
...it's finding these Africans
and the queen bees.
With all this venom,
I can go to work on an antidote.
That's fine.
Hubbard, can you have the
poison ready by morning?
By morning?
I don't see how.
Well...
That makes your deadline
even earlier, Walter.
Smells like bananas.
See how fast it dries.
- Any complications?
- No, Dr. Anderson just examined them.
Dr. Anderson?
When did she get back?
A short while ago, major.
I couldn't rest knowing
there are sick patients.
- Besides, Dr. Martinez says I'm fine.
- Good.
Captain, I've been planning on
having a private talk with you.
It's about this civilian, Crane.
I received confidential reports
about your association with him...
...which indicate your relationship
is now of a personal nature.
I didn't know you sent anyone
to spy on me.
Has Crane asked you anything about our
operation here, even indirectly?
Why should he?
He is a respected scientist...
...and has been appointed by the
president to head this project.
It still might be advisable for you
to discontinue the relationship.
All due respect, sir, what I do on my
off-duty time is my business...
...and doesn't concern the Air Force.
I shall continue to see
whomever I wish.
- Thank you.
- The doctor wants to say goodbye.
Doctor?
Oh, yes, Rita.
- About the baby, you're both fine.
- Oh, good.
- Real fine.
- Thank you.
Please sit down.
With everything happening,
I haven't had a chance to say...
...how sorry I am about Jerry.
Thank you, doctor.
I'll write to you.
Let you know about the baby.
- Do you have a place to go?
- Not really.
They just gave everyone
orders to leave.
Of course, there isn't
much to stay for, is there?
- Well...
- Goodbye. I have to go.
- The bus is waiting.
- Let me walk you.
- I'll see myself out. Goodbye.
- Good luck.
Thank you.
Only one suitcase to a person, please.
Move it along.
Not since thousands
fled the Oklahoma Dust Bowl...
...has a thriving American community
been evacuated.
No flood, fire or hurricane has made
such a large section...
...a no man's land, until now.
- Slow down.
- That's it. Move right along.
On the stairs, please!
Move forward.
- Have you seen Ms. Schuster?
- No, sir.
Continue up to the stairs.
- Hal, have you seen Ms. Schuster?
- No, sir, I haven't.
You lose something?
You never had
a good concept of time.
On our first date we didn't
see the whole double feature.
I worried you wouldn't get here.
I'm here. Shall we go?
- Yeah.
- Let go. I had it first.
I carried her books before
you showed up in Marysville. Let go!
Clarence, Felix!
You promised there
would be no more fussing.
And this surely isn't the time for it.
Let go!
All right. Follow the line.
Follow the line.
- everything that they hold dear...
...because of killer bees.
Imagine having such a natural
phenomenon do something...
Take this. Give me a hand with her.
Get her in the car.
- Is the hospital here operating?
- Yeah.
Thank you.
- You okay?
- It's better.
We'll get there.
- Thank you.
- Hold on.
Oh, hurry.
Enter the car with the number you were
issued. That car's number is five!
Get this train out of here.
The bees could be back any minute.
Where is Crane?
Don't worry, sir. He'll be here in time
to take credit for the evacuation.
Let me tell you something, major.
I don't tolerate my staff saying
things behind a man's back.
If you think Crane's a glory jockey,
tell him, not me.
If you're trying to butter me up by
slurring a man I consider misguided...
...I don't need that
from you, or anybody else.
Yes, sir.
Am I walking too fast?
No, I'm fine. Just fine.
Don't overdo it.
Dr. Martinez said you had
a close call.
How sad.
How very, very sad.
You know, Marysville
was such a happy little town.
Ritz's Bookstore.
I used to work there when
I was in high school.
Everything was happy then.
But that was so long ago.
It's all right.
You can tell a lot about a man
by the way he shuffles cards.
- Thank you, Clarence.
- Wasn't meant as a compliment.
Would you cut the cards?
- Something bothering you?
- What's wrong, Maureen?
I got a sudden feeling
I'll never see Marysville again.
Or any of my children.
It's frightening.
Maureen, that's not you.
You're an optimist.
- Always looking at the bright side.
- We'll be home soon...
...and this will be like a bad dream.
- That's right.
I suppose that's so.
But I can't shake this feeling that
something's closing in on us.
Now, now, Maureen.
Come on, deal, Felix.
- Sandwiches?
- No, thanks.
No, thank you.
- Ed?
- Yeah?
- There's a bee in here.
- A bee? Don't take any chances.
- Maybe he wants the apple.
- Well, give it to him.
- Goddamn! What will I do now?
- Don't move.
Don't get him mad!
No, Charlie!
When are we going to
stop this massacre?
- Our first airdrop is in a half-hour.
- I've seen what you plan to drop!
Those damn poison pellets
won't get us anywhere!
Those are my damn
poison pellets, and they'll work!
I'm counting on them working, or we
fall back to almost impossible odds.
My coming up with an antidote,
which might never be perfected.
Thank you, gentlemen,
for your support.
But, captain...
Feed this into the computer.
African bees attack a train...
...70 miles northwest of Houston.
Now, give me a revised
time fix, please.
I know how you feel, especially
due to what just happened...
...but right now we are ready
to drop millions of lethal pellets...
...without harming the
population or plant life.
- I'll support that.
- So will I.
What we need...
...is every helicopter you have.
All right, you've got them.
Revised timetable coming through, sir.
They're not touching the pellets!
They're not touching the pellets!
They seem to sense
it's something that will kill them.
They're brighter than we thought.
They always are.
Maybe you should have tried bourbon
and water and got them drunk.
It's all my fault.
I threw firebombs at the swarm.
It's all my fault.
I threw firebombs at the swarm.
You've got a beautiful 6-pound
beautiful daughter.
Thank you.
I guess it's true what they say...
...that a woman sort of falls in love
with her doctor at this time.
I hope you will feel the same way
tomorrow. And the day after.
And all of the days after.
Paul!
Tomas! Tomas!
Helena.
Why this one?
In the whole damn world,
why this boy?
My God, Brad.
What good is all that science?
All that equipment at the base?
All those doctors?
What good are you?
I didn't mean that.
You know I didn't.
Paul was my first case
when I was the town doctor.
He wanted to be an archaeologist.
- He would've been a terrific one.
- I'm sure of it.
You didn't tell me three of the
four survivors at the base had died.
Well, you had other problems.
And, you didn't tell me there's a
syndrome of relapse among survivors...
...shortly after they've been stung.
A fatal relapse.
Some do recover.
A small percentage.
But some do.
Some.
Well, the odds are better than none.
Well, you dropped your poison pellets
and the Africans spit at them.
They're moving to Houston
faster than expected.
General, you should know the enemy is
always expected to do the unexpected.
- Dr. Crane.
- Major Baker.
Let's hear your rundown.
"Three steel mills,
seven oil refineries...
...two beet sugar plants
and a nuclear power center.
Plus 46 towns,
not including Houston...
...are now directly
in the path of the Africans."
We'll evacuate the towns,
and close the factories.
We'll have trouble with
the nuclear power plant.
They won't shut down voluntarily.
Millions in the area need the energy.
If we don't shut them down,
the bees will.
I'll check with Washington
for a directive.
I know executives at that plant.
I fought them in court
on environmental issues.
I'll fly in and talk
some sense into them.
It might be a lot quicker
than Washington.
Okay. You got it. Thank you.
Miss!
More bad news?
Everything we tried has failed.
Our last hope is your mass antidote.
How close are you?
I've tried it on all these rabbits.
It knocks hell out of them.
These are the only two still alive.
I'm on the right track,
but I need time.
If you can't perfect it, we might
just as well pack it in right away...
...and ship out to New Zealand.
What we need is something
that people can self-inject...
...if they get stung by an African bee.
And we need it right now.
I get the picture. First thing
tomorrow, I'll try it on a human.
Like who?
- We'll come up with volunteers.
- Like me?
Forget it.
It'll take two or three days
to convince...
...anyone how much we need humans.
- Meanwhile, I'm here and I'm convinced.
- I'm not ready for you.
- When I am, I'll let you know.
- Okay.
Will you please start eating
the food they serve here?
It has been measured to ensure you get
energy for the long hours you work.
What the hell does a man have to do to
get a beer and a pizza around here?
All a man has to do, Walter, is ask.
All my notes are right here, Brad,
on the desk next to the recorder.
They contain the exact instructions,
and I mean exact...
...on how to prepare
the antidote I developed.
Every experiment,
with its individual notes...
...and conclusions,
is documented in this text.
I'm going to test the serum on myself.
Why?
Because you're fool
enough to make me try it on you.
It's my antidote,
so it'll be my risk.
First, I'm going to inject myself...
...with the same input of venom I'd
receive from the stings of six bees.
That's double the amount anybody has
been able to take and survive.
Then I'll see if I'll still be able to
use the self-injector with my serum...
...or whether muscular stiffness will
make it impossible.
I'll dictate the rest of this to the
other recorder.
I'm all ready.
Physiograph is recording,
everything is laid out.
The weal is rising instantly.
Now, from the moment of
being stung, a frightened victim...
...medically inexperienced, would
need about 60 seconds...
...to get the self-injector
from pocket or purse...
...pull up a sleeve, waste seconds
hesitating, afraid of the needle.
Finally, put it in. I'm going to give
myself the same 60 seconds.
Heartbeat rising rapidly.
Heartbeat now 140.
The antidote is on the table
in front of me.
Fifty-five seconds since I
administered the venom.
I'm gonna start reaching for it.
It won't move.
My arm feels like
it's strapped to my side.
Heartbeat, 160.
Close to outer limit.
Dropping now.
Good.
Good!
Going to normal.
Dropping now.
Dr. Krim, what are you doing?
You missed the tough part.
How much did you take?
- About six stings' worth.
- Oh, Dr. Krim.
Respiration still high...
...but not abnormally so.
Well, let's see now.
I administered the antidote about...
...sixty-six seconds after
the venom was injected.
The antidote works.
- My God. It works.
- Dr. Krim.
Now here's something.
The four physiological responses...
...are swinging
from norm to some really...
...spooky levels.
They don't want to stay down.
In fact, they're turning bad.
All of them.
Heart rate, rising again.
Oh, my God.
Losing...
...respiration.
First sign, respiratory arrest.
Doctor.
Walter.
Oh, Walter.
There it is.
- I just don't understand your request.
- You will. You will.
Have you any idea of the consequences
if I ask to shut down?
- Less disastrous than not.
- Look at all this.
Don't you realize we supply power over
a 500-mile area and purify water?
I realize that. I don't think
you realize how critical this is.
There's nothing here that
could attract bees.
The infrared rays could
act like a beacon.
No, no, doctor. See this.
Billions have been spent to make
these nuclear plants fail-safe!
The odds against anything going wrong
are astronomical.
I appreciate that,
but let me ask you...
...in your fail-safe techniques, is
there a provision against killer bees?
Andrews here. Come in, Control.
Control, this is Andrews.
What's happening?
Control, go to manual!
- The bees. Let's get out of here!
- No, no, no! This way.
Crane?
Crane!
I've been authorized by the president
to close down your operation.
From now on, the war against the bees
will be under military direction...
...the way it should've been
from the first.
- What's the ETA now?
- General?
I'll say this for you, Crane,
you tried.
In spite of what you might think,
I kind of hoped you'd pull it off.
Arrange protective crating for the two
oscilloscopes and fly to Houston.
- I'll see you there with the equipment.
- I'll be there.
I haven't surrendered yet, general.
- estimating that 600,000 people have
already been evacuated from Houston.
Elsewhere, people stayed indoors
or went to church.
Between their prayers
they watched the weather.
There was good news for most
of the country other than Texas...
... temperatures continued plunging
and cold air...
... coming down an Alaskan front kept
the Africans confined to Texas.
This is Frank Blair.
Who would've thought bees would be the
first alien force to invade America?
- Where are you going, sir?
- Air Force Headquarters.
Now, without the president's
authority, how can you possibly help?
Well, the least I can do is try.
General.
Hello, Crane.
- Doctor.
- General.
I'm really glad you're here
for the finale.
Is there anything I can do to help?
I'm not sure, but come with me.
- Very impressive.
- There'll be no more Africans...
...at least in Houston.
- You found a way to stop them?
I hope so. If we do it here,
we can do it anywhere.
This is a dress rehearsal, a procedure
for future African challenges.
This is Houston computerized,
and this is Houston.
You see, the bees have formed almost
a complete circle. Billions of them.
- That's what we've been waiting for.
- Waiting for what?
The battle plan is to get them all
into one area and then zap them!
Take a look over here.
- Captain. Doctor.
- Major.
You planned your arrival perfectly.
Here they come.
Freeze it.
- Prepare to use the neutracide!
- Neutracide?
Use that and nothing will grow
there for 10 years!
Why worry about shaving when
somebody's about to cut your head off?
Leader One to all aircraft. Deliver
your cargo on target. Now!
- They're coming through.
- They have learned to live with it.
I was afraid of this.
They've become immune
to any pesticide.
The occupation of Houston has begun...
...and General Slater is the
first officer in history...
...to get his butt kicked
by a mess of bugs!
You got any of that birdseed left?
As I said before, they're high
in potassium, low in sodium.
And as I said before, terrific.
How long can they live in the city?
If they get food and water, they might
just decide to stay here forever.
The Defense Department in Washington
has just confirmed the tragic news.
With the approval of the White House,
as a last resort...
... the city of Houston will suffer
man-made burning before daybreak.
This decision was reached
in accord with all opinions...
... from the armed forces
and scientists involved in the...
... fruitless countermeasures
being attempted...
... to destroy the killer bee which
has brought the West to a standstill.
The burnout is scheduled
to be handled within minutes.
Light them up.
Move out! Move out!
Burn them out!
Listen. They're still out there.
Billions of them.
It's as if it were their city.
Even though Slater's been at it for
24 hours with every soldier he can get.
You talk about the bees
as if you admired them.
I do. They never fail to astonish me.
It's as though a broad range
of contingencies...
...has been planned for by the creator
and programmed into them...
...for an endless future.
Making them the true inheritors
of the Earth.
A world without people.
Maybe the creator was equally
obliging toward us...
...and programmed into us the ability
to beat them.
Well, I wish he'd give us a clue.
Here, let me.
Right there, that's lovely.
- This is better than 8 hours' sleep.
- How would you know?
Listen. Listen.
- What is it?
- The bees.
Why are they making that sound?
That's the hunger tone.
It causes them to mass together...
...as if by community they can destroy
their enemy. Cold, hunger, anything.
I wonder if there is another sound
that's part of their ritual...
Helena? Helena,
are you all right, love?
Helena, what's the matter?
Darling?
I don't know what else we can do.
I'm very sorry.
Please God, let her live.
Sir, can we really count
on a scientist who prays?
I wouldn't count on one who doesn't.
- You can forget the dossier.
- Yes, sir.
Street Fighter to Topkick!
Come in Topkick, come in.
Topkick, can you read me?
You two, come here.
I can't get through.
Too much interference! Damn bees!
Listen, get back to headquarters.
Tell Slater we need reinforcements! Go!
You wonder, don't you?
Houston on fire.
Will history blame me or the bees?
- My compliments, general.
- On what, for God's sake?
On being able to maintain a
long-term historical perspective.
Well, Crane, at this point
there's no other viable perspective.
- Our time is up.
- Not quite, general.
We're ready with a final experiment.
Please don't give up.
- Okay.
- Thank you.
We'll do another half dozen of these,
get some sleep and start after lunch.
Okay.
What's this? We've not had this
before. Look at this, doctor, look.
Something's coming. Here we go.
We've done it.
- I don't believe this.
- Yes, we have.
General, we've done it.
Look, we've got a match.
We discovered two identical
sound patterns.
What has that
to do with killing bees?
What you are hearing is the African
bee's mating sound. But listen.
This was made by the alarm system,
not the bees. But they sound alike.
The alarm system at the missile base
drew them in.
The similarity confused them.
When it stopped, they left.
I don't understand.
The sonic alarm system happens
to be an exact duplicate of the duet...
...between the queen and the young
queen challenging her.
- But bees can't hear.
- That's right. They go by vibration.
The alarm felt like the vibration
of a ritual they had to attend.
Then you're saying our alarm system
attracted the bees into the complex.
Right. We'll use this very sound
to pull them out of Houston.
Okay, I'm convinced.
Kill the bees! Don't hit the man!
No! Get it up!
General? General!
- What is going on?
- The bees are inside!
Now what?
- You two get going!
- Not without Helena.
We'll take care of her. Use that new
weapon you've come up with.
Slater. Dodge Airfield.
Code seven. Fast!
- General!
- Get out!
I'm going to get Helena.
You know what has to be done!
Major!
There's no time for that! Let's go!
Put this around you. Drop them!
- Newman!
- Go, Brad! Go!
Move out!
General!
Dr. Crane, this is Dodge Field,
Air Tower Number Two.
We read General Slater's instructions
loud and clear.
We're prepared to assist in every
possible way. Come in, Dr. Crane.
- Do you read me?
- Affirmative.
Load the choppers with the sound horns.
Spread the oil slick. Acknowledge.
- Roger.
- Out. Let's go.
To all Air Force tankers. Spread
your oil over the Gulf of Mexico.
Four minutes to flaming.
- Ready.
- Fine.
- Is this right?
- Is there one on the side?
- Yes, sir.
- Well, please hurry!
Won't the noise drown out your sound?
No, it's an entirely different
sonic level.
All set, sir.
Rescue Five to Alpha One.
Come in, please.
Ditch sound floats!
Rescue Five to Alpha Two. Come in.
Rescue Five to Alpha Three.
Pilot, get us to the firing point
as quickly as you can.
Here they come!
Operation Sonic Drop complete.
All clear.
Okay. Thank you.
Fire it now!
Fire one! Fire two! Fire three!
Fire four! Fire five!
Did we finally beat them?
- Or is this just a temporary victory?
- I don't know.
But we did gain time. If we use
it wisely and if we're lucky...
...the world might just survive.