Project Blue Book (2019) s01e06 Episode Script

The Green Fireballs

1 Previously on "Project Blue Book" RANDALL: I didn't pay much attention to any stories - till I had my first encounter.
- With a UFO? "Unidentified Flying Object".
Hasn't caught on yet.
I don't care if we have to drop a nuke to take Fuller out.
There's a lot of people looking for you.
There is where it all started.
It's the program.
Do you want to tell me about that? We get messages.
We're the antennas.
I keep seeing this.
- I'm sorry.
- No! Stop! QUINN: When you see someone die, it's tempting to want to blame yourself.
[Brakes squeal, engine stops.]
[Indistinct conversations.]
That's nuts.
Gary Cooper every time.
There's no way he could take John Wayne.
The Duke, man.
He's the toughest guy in the movies.
Cooper's smart, you know? You see it in his eyes.
He's got tactical superiority.
John Wayne would knock that tactical bullshit right out of his head.
[Siren wails.]
- T-minus 90 seconds.
- What the hell is that? It's a launch alert.
[Engine starts, indistinct shouting.]
[Siren continues.]
Come on, come on.
What the hell is going on?! Is this a drill?! Hello?! The test is supposed to be tomorrow, O800! The launch sequence started on its own, we did not initiate.
You need to evac the area now.
[Engine sputtering.]
Come on, come on! Hello?! Can anybody copy? Come on! [Shouts indistinctly.]
20 seconds Shut down the whole system.
- Give me the codes.
- I'm trying! None of the overrides are working.
Override denied.
We're gonna nuke our own men.
- 10, 9, 8 - Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed by thy name - 7, 6, 5 - Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on Earth as it is in heaven.
4, 3, 2 What just happened? Launch aborted.
It stopped.
Reset.
Reset.
Safety systems one.
Countdown was reset.
The missile's secure! Launch aborted.
I repeat, launch aborted.
I-I repeat, launch aborted.
All is clear.
You're safe.
[Laughs.]
[Birds chirping.]
God heard my prayer.
I don't think prayer can stop a countdown.
There's got to be some other explanation than a Supreme Being.
[Rumbling.]
[Both groaning.]
Is that the missile? I don't know what that is.
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed by thy name - [Panting, whimpers.]
- Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on Earth as it is in heaven.
- [Whimpers.]
- [Whooshing.]
FULLER: Everybody else thinks I'm crazy, Doctor.
[Dog barks in distance.]
[Lighter clicks.]
[No audio.]
[Static.]
Allen? [Door closes.]
It's 2:00 in the morning.
What in the world are you doing? Good news.
My camera matrix project was approved last minute.
I have no idea what any of that means.
It means I have a lot of work to do.
You've been cooped up in here for two weeks.
You never sleep, you barely eat.
You're scaring me.
There's nothing to be afraid of.
Just go back to bed, please.
No! Haven't you had enough of this? - Because I know I have.
- Mimi, please.
That man, Fuller he was inside this house.
- The things he said - [Bangs desks.]
Can we please not talk about this right now?! Please?! There are things I can't tell you.
I just I can't.
[Papers rustling.]
Are you leaving again? In the morning.
Where? White Forest.
I have to go pack.
Fine.
[Clicking.]
[Speaks Russian.]
QUINN: So, these green fireballs at this missile base, this camera can capture them on film? HYNEK: That's right.
So how long have you been working on this thing? You called it a, what, now? Three-dimensional observational matrix, motion-activated, designed to record celestial events.
Right.
How come you didn't tell me about it? Well, I submitted the, uh, proposal to the Air Force years ago.
They didn't get back to me, so after recent events, I reached out to them again.
Smart.
You know, people start spotting these green fireballs from Mars, and They're not from Mars.
They're meteors.
Well, whatever they are, I get why the Generals want to pull the trigger now.
Lot of people on edge after what happened.
Yeah, well, that's all gonna change now with my project 'cause I am going to use science to reveal the truth.
And while the truth might be sometimes less entertaining than unfounded speculation, there's safety in the certitude it provides.
Right now, we all need to feel safe everyone.
There's too much at stake.
Hey, sir! Dink is goin' into town to pick up some sandwiches.
You want a pastrami? You askin' a grown man born two city blocks from Katz's Delicatessen if he wants a pastrami sandwich made in Nevada? I guess not.
Good guess.
[Wind whistling.]
ROURKE: You saying I'm crazy? Well, you did mention you stopped the launch countdown with prayer.
I'm not sure sure about that anymore.
What we are certain of is that we saw something not of this world.
Professor Hynek would agree with you.
Right, Doc? What you likely saw were meteors.
These things came straight at us, then went along the horizon and shot back up into the sky.
Can a meteor do that? HYNEK: Under the conditions low cloud cover, high humidity light from below can distort its path, yes.
Could've been a flare, too.
Plenty of GIs in the area with duffel bags full of liberated ordnance, too much time on their hands.
What kind of flare can set off a launch countdown? [Door opens.]
[Exhales sharply.]
Mister Secretary.
Dr.
Hynek.
What do you think? Can we get to the bottom of this? Once the matrix is in place, I am convinced you'll have the proof that you need.
And you're thinking nothing more than meteors? Ah, it's the only logical explanation.
Did the Generals arrive with you, as well, sir? Should we include them in this conversation? The Generals are not here or involved.
Any questions or concerns you have moving forward, you run them through me.
Is that clear? Yes, sir, but are they aware that Is that clear? Yes, sir.
Once you're set up, I'd like to come and take a look.
- You'll keep me posted? - Of course.
Great.
Captain.
What the hell did you do? You went behind Harding's and Valentine's backs for this? I told you, the Air Force rejected me once already.
What, so you reached out to Fairchild?! You realize you just dropped us right in the middle of a war between the Secretary of Defense and two of the most powerful men in the Pentagon.
That kind of war leads to collateral damage ours.
That is a risk I'm willing to take.
What the hell's gotten into you? [Wind whistling.]
[Camera shutter clicks.]
[Camera shutter clicks.]
CAL: I see nothing of value here.
This silly astronomer is just a stooge for the Air Force, chasing lights in the sky.
That is not an important relationship for us.
It's a wild goose chase.
Unless, of course, the relationship you're so concerned with is with his wife.
Professor Hynek is in Nevada at the White Forest Missile Range right now.
That's where the Americans test their nuclear weapons.
This is the breakthrough we've been waiting for.
We're needed elsewhere.
Virginia.
A former OSS agent now working for the CIA He has certain vulnerabilities that can be exploited.
Our work here is done.
It's time for us to go.
Get up.
[Speaks Russian.]
[Clattering.]
[Footsteps approach.]
[Sighs.]
Hello.
[Chuckles.]
I know you.
Yes.
I'm a friend of Mimi's.
Well, it was nice seeing you again.
I should get back to my friends.
You, too.
Who was that? [Camera shutter clicks.]
[Bird squawks in distance.]
Mimi's neighbor.
She's nobody.
48 hours I will get you your evidence.
Or we say goodbye to Ohio.
HYNEK: Green is a very interesting color in astronomy.
Our eyes are more sensitive to green than any other color.
That's why it's so often visible in the night sky.
These theodolite cameras are going to record the green fireballs.
Based on the soldiers' testimony, the fireballs flew overhead here, so this is as good a position as any for the matrix.
Right.
Now, when a meteor enters Earth's atmosphere, it burns to such a point that its outer layer vaporizes, and the different Ah, can you? Different metals in a meteor burn with particular colors.
The green comes from nickel, which is the most common metal found in meteors.
[Exhales sharply.]
So, how do these things work, then? Well, each camera is fitted with a motion sensor and any passing object triggers a photograph and a picture of the three dials.
Now, these show the time the photo was taken, the azimuth angle, and the angle of elevation.
Azimuth? Yeah.
Right.
They're just gonna blow 'em up why do they need faces? Realism is important to understand the ramifications of a nuclear explosion.
[Sighs.]
Can you give me some help here? Give me a second, will ya? Hey! Halt, or I'll shoot! Don't hurt me.
Please.
Please.
Don't hurt me.
Master Sergeant Edward Rizzuto.
- Motor pool.
- RIZZUTO: That's me.
How you feeling, Sergeant? You all right? [Sighs.]
Scared.
Like, uh, I saw something crazy.
The green lights.
Dang it.
You you know what? I-I-I did this backwards askin' how you feel before the most important question.
What question is that? What were you doing at the test site without authorization or clearance in the first place? [Exhales sharply.]
Smoke? Thanks.
[Exhales sharply.]
How deep in the shit am I? That depends on what you say next.
[Sighs.]
I met this girl in town we got to talkin'.
She heard about the green lights and practically begged me to take her out to see them, so, um, I took her out to the target area.
We drank our way through a good bottle of Scotch, but I did most of the drinking.
And, uh, next thing I know, I'm waking up flat on my back.
She's gone.
She took the car, took all the money out of my wallet, and left me stranded.
[Sighs.]
- He's 100% full of shit.
- How do you mean? Drank a bottle of Scotch last night? - I didn't smell it on him.
- So? And his hands.
You see his hands after I gave him that cigarette? Steady as a rock when he says he was scared out of his mind.
The man's telling us a story that doesn't hold up.
Master Sergeant of the White Forest Missile Range, and he's hiding something.
We got to find out what that is.
No, we don't.
Look, not every case we're trying to solve comes out of the sky.
Remember, there was nearly a nuclear launch here that no one can explain.
This guy's runnin' around telling s Our job is to observe the meteors and capture them on film.
That man is not our problem.
I'm going back into the field to finish my work.
You do whatever you want.
SUSIE: I say when the cat's away, the mice get to have a little fun.
[Laughs.]
It has been fun.
[Bell dings in distance.]
that you'll always love me What's going on, Mimi? You don't seem like yourself.
I'm sorry.
[Sighs.]
I-It's just Is it that man that broke into your house? I know I still can't get over it.
my side It's Allen.
Something happened recently, and I don't know what.
But he's hurting in a way I've never seen before.
I would die I wonder what it is.
Could it have something to do with his job? What is it called again? Blue Book? Ever since he started there, he's had to be so secretive.
I know there's more he's hiding, but he just won't talk about it.
Well, then you've got to do something about that for your own sake for Allen's, too.
I try, but he just keeps pushing me out.
What am I supposed to do? So, darling You're his wife, Mimi.
If he won't tell you the truth, then you have ever right to find it out for yourself.
[Insects chirping.]
[Sniffles.]
[Electricity hums.]
FULLER: What are you doing here, Dr.
Hynek? HYNEK: I want to help you.
The encounters we get messages.
We're the antennas.
There's nothing anyone can do.
[Static.]
[Insects chirping.]
[Camera shutter clicks.]
[Camera shutter clicks.]
[Camera shutter clicks.]
[Electricity crackling.]
[Footsteps approach.]
[Crackling continues.]
Do you need help? [Crackling continues.]
The, uh, the strobing of those lights it must've, ah How are you here? I'm here when you need me.
I'm here when I need you.
Could you speak to me in plain English for once? Good.
You're nearly ready.
Ready for what? There's a church in town.
St.
Dominic's.
Dominic De Guzman was a Castilian priest patron saint of the astronomers.
The church bell rings every day at noon.
When you get your head together, come find me.
Then we can talk.
Don't you dare leave me like this again.
They're coming back.
You have work to do.
[Whooshing.]
What are you? [Door creaks.]
I feel like a trespasser in my own home.
Isn't that part of the problem you're trying to solve? [Dog barks in distance.]
I couldn't do this if you weren't here.
You mean a lot to me.
I'm just happy to help.
[Sighs.]
The box.
[Objects clattering, papers rustling.]
I think I found something.
[Lid creaks.]
What is it? It's a journal about his cases.
From West Virginia "Lieutenant Fuller".
"Fuller was just a boy.
Lost.
I had no idea how much.
And whatever they did to him, whatever they subjected him to it broke his mind".
"I tried to help him.
I begged him not to kill himself but he did, and all I could do was stand there and watch him".
[Voice breaking.]
Susie, I'm I'm sorry.
I-I just I think I need [Sniffles.]
Could I just have some time alone? I-I I understand.
[Footsteps depart.]
[Knock on door.]
[Knocking continues.]
Oh.
Hello.
Hello, Donna.
Is Mimi home? She's busy right now.
I can tell her you stopped by.
Okay.
Sure.
Thanks.
It was really nice seeing you yesterday.
I wish I could have introduced you to my husband, but it just wasn't a good time.
Not a problem.
Have a good night.
[Door creaks.]
[Lock clicks.]
[Dog barks in distance.]
VALENTINE: Rizzuto's a Russian spy.
Born in the U.
S.
to Bolshevik parents, Party member since he was in short pants.
Your instincts were right on the money.
QUINN: Jesus.
He works at the damn motor pool at the base.
How'd they miss that? Enlisted.
We don't catch everyone.
What about his ledger? We believe it's being used by Ivan to encrypt communication.
The Verona boys are working their way though it.
So this traitor is gathering intelligence on our missile tests? Sirs? That may not be the whole story.
The green fireballs? You're kiddin' me.
Son, we wish we were.
We're investigating the possibility that they're artificial devices created by the Soviets to monitor our test sites.
So those bastards are runnin' missions on our soil now? One way or another, yes.
But the American people can never know that.
More importantly, we can't let the Russians know that we know.
Which brings us to the Professor's camera project, the project that we rejected, the project that Fairchild is running behind our backs.
What do you need me to do? We need to talk.
[Typewriter keys clacking.]
Or I could talk and you could listen.
[Telephone rings.]
They're shutting us down.
Cased closed.
Time to go home.
[Chair creaks.]
No.
You know, when I was workin' interrogation, the best way to break a man, break him so his mind played tricks? Don't let him sleep.
Well, my mind has never been sharper.
Yeah, I can see that.
I don't believe the fireballs were meteors.
Your fancy cameras tell you that? I-I haven't developed the film, but I am confident that they will confirm my thesis, yes.
Oh, well, as long as you're confident.
I know what I saw! [Sighs.]
Well, here's what I see a witness who hasn't slept in weeks, whose mind is bouncin' around in his head like a pinball in a pinball machine.
He's angry all the time.
When he's not angry, he's confused.
Now, this witness, this man, has a story to tell, but not a shred of proof to back up his claim other than his say-so I'll develop the film.
- I'll prove it to you.
- That's a negative.
We are done here finished like it never happened.
What the hell did you expect? I expected to discover the truth.
I expected a partner who would back me up! You went to Fairchild when the Generals weren't lookin'.
You got caught.
I warned you about that.
And what we're facin' now? Just the consequences of your own actions.
I wanted the truth.
I wanted to forget.
Okay? Now just leave me alone.
Please! First time I saw a man die up close? I couldn't get it out of my head no matter how hard I tried.
I know you're hurting about Fuller.
But the hurt will pass 'cause it has to.
And then one day, his death is just gonna be a a very bad thing that you don't think about anymore.
UNSEEN: Professor Hynek.
So nice to see you again.
You know what I love about churches, Dr.
Hynek? They were built as a haven for those who suffer.
But to suffer is to endure, is it not? [Pew creaks.]
Who are you? You do know those were not meteors.
The abnormally low velocity is proof of that, yes and the fact that the flight path doesn't match that of a meteor shower.
Which are horizontal, not perpendicular to the Earth's surface.
So do you have a hypothesis as to their origin, Doctor? Russian surveillance, experimental spy craft of some kind, but the technology it's too advanced.
It's impossible.
Then forget about the science for a moment.
What can you imagine they are? A craft of some kind [Sighs.]
piloted, not, uh, random here to survey our nucleartesting sites, as if someone, something, were monitoring what progress we've made.
I'm not sure I'd call it "progress," but you're on the right track.
The only open question is what if whoever is watching has determined that we've made more progress than they're willing to allow? That's what Fuller said to my wife.
You do know Lieutenant Fuller's death was not your fault.
What do you know about all of this? Who Who is watching our progress? If I had all the answers, I wouldn't need you, would I? Need me? What the hell do you need me for? HARDING: And we'll be out of there, just as you ordered.
Is that for us? Amended to state conclusively the green fireballs were nothing more than meteors.
Thank you, Professor.
- Captain.
- Sir.
Professor.
Oh, uh, Professor, one more thing.
Yes? I brought you into Project Blue Book, didn't I? Uh, yes, you did.
Might even say you owe me.
Yes.
Good.
Just wanted to be clear about that.
Very clear.
Thank you.
But if you ever go behind my back to Fairchild again, you and I are gonna have a difficult conversation.
And then I'll shit-can you so fast, your head will spin.
Professor.
[Footsteps depart.]
I've got to dismantle the rest of my equipment.
I'll meet you later.
Roger that.
About every 75 years, Halley's comet returns to us.
[Bell tolls in distance.]
And on the day I was born [Door creaks.]
the comet flew closer to Earth than ever before.
[Bell continues.]
People were terrified.
They thought it was an omen signaling the end of the world.
But my mother didn't agree.
She believed it was an omen, yes but an omen that announced my birth.
And she believed that I would be a man of great accomplishment like a comet blazing across the sky.
But the truth is [Bell tolls.]
I never was.
If there's one thing I know, it's this you have no idea what kind of man you can be.
[Insects chirping in distance.]
[Exhales sharply.]
[Keys clatter.]
I owe you a thank-you.
That key you made opened a box in Hynek's desk.
In there was a journal filled with entries about his work.
And just as I thought, the Professor is doing much more than chasing lights in the sky.
He's investigating experimental weapons mind control.
Do you have the journal? I told you I needed hard evidence.
I'm closer than I've ever been.
I just need you to stay out of my way.
Neither one of us can afford to be careless right now.
I'm glad you feel that way because there's something I need you to do.
[Insects chirping.]
I think you'll find a hand saw works best.
MAN: Mr.
Rizzuto, we're going to have a conversation.
[Insects chirping.]
[Door creaks.]
[Door closes.]
[Glass clinks.]
You're still up.
Mimi, I'm sorry.
I haven't been myself.
The way I treated you the other night Was wrong.
And not like you at all.
From now on, you and I we are going to work as a team.
No more secrets.
[Clattering.]
[Chuckles.]
Should it be heavier? Yes, it should be.
Allen, what is this? I don't know.
But we are going to find out together.
GIRL: [Echoing.]
8, 1, 5, 4, 5, 6, 5, 9.

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