The Second Arrival

...released this week by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Coal-burning power plants are creating more toxic levels of mercury...

than originally believed.

A spokesman for Planet Corps Industries claim this is validation...

for their decision to purchase and upgrade non-coal burning power stations...

throughout Central and South America.

Newly released figures from the National Weather Bureau...

indicate that this is the mildest winter in the history of North America.

While on the global front, every continent is reporting record highs,

with many African countries actually suffering heat-related fatalities.

A spokesman for the Red Cross stated that they are planning to send aid...

Hey, only six minutes late today.

Uh, that's a new personal best.

You're late, Addison.

Uh, car trouble again. What, it couldn't get you out of bed ?

This is classified, you know, Dave.

My clearance is just as high as yours.

Oh. Well, then you shouldn't have any trouble clearing out of my cubicle.

Bye.

Being your normal self again, Dave ?

Jack, check out channel 12. What's up ?

Check it out.

...wanted for questioning in connection...

with the destruction of a multi-million dollar NASA satellite dish in Arizona,

as well as the now-infamous U.F.O. broadcast hoax two months ago.

Again, Zane Zaminski, a one-time highly respected radio astronomer,

who allegedly suffered a mental collapse...

after his employment was terminated by J.P.L. and NASA,

has died of an apparent heart attack...

while hiding from authorities in a remote Eskimo village outside Saluete, Alaska.

Vivian Yanimoto, WNN news.

Jack, I'm really sorry. Is there anything I can do ?

Oh, I almost forgot.

The, uh, mail room asked me to give this to you.

What's this ?

- ** - What's this ?

Don't know. There's no return address.

Maybe it's a bomb. Who have you pissed off lately ?

Who hasn't she pissed off ?

Professor, let me help you.

Oh, thank you, my dear.

Your 11:00 is here.

What happened to my speech ? The one I'm giving at next week's fund-raiser.

Professor, this package came for you.

Yes, but what did you do with my speech ?

Oh. Thank you.

What are you, stupid ?

I could've killed you.

And with still no snow as we enter the second week of March,

ski operators throughout North America...

are declaring the entire season a virtual write-off.

This weekend, Environment Canada is hosting...

a major global conference in Montreal.

More than a hundred scientists are expected to attend this follow-up...

to the June 1988 conference:

The Changing Atmosphere and Implications for Global Security...

Hey, buddy. I was watching that.

I'm afraid I asked him to change it.

The news is always so depressing these days.

Tell me about it.

Speaking from personal experience ?

Sandra Wolfe.

Jack Addison.

Have we met before ?

Uh, not exactly.

Uh, we live in the same building. I've seen you in the lobby.

I can't believe I never noticed you.

Well, you're usually in too much of a hurry to notice anyone.

So ?

Um...

somebody, uh...

Somebody close to me was killed last night.

I'm sorry.

What happened ?

I don't really know.

He lived in the States in, uh...

in, uh, Arizona.

We haven't spoken in over seven years.

Well, he never called ?

Sometimes.

How about you ?

Why not ?

It's a long story.

I'm a good listener.

He, uh...

He was my brother.

Jesus.

Come on. I'll take you home.

You don't have to do that. I'm fine, all right ?

Shh, shh.

I want to.

Really.

Are you coming back to bed ?

Uh, no. I...

I have to finish reading this.

Maybe I should go. No, no, no, no.

Please. Um...

I want you to stay.

You sure ?

Yeah. Yeah. Um... I'll be in in just one second.

- Okay. - Okay.

Shit !

Jack ?

Have you left already ?

- Who is it ? - Cable repair.

So, are you all set for the big pre-conference briefing ?

Oh, uh, I have to pick up my car at the garage before it closes.

Jack, I mean, the conference is this weekend.

Need my car to get there, don't I ?

Jack ! Let him go, Burke.

I can't wait to tell Dr. Bell that he's blowing off...

the most important conference of the decade.

You transferred here like, what, about two months ago, right ?

More like six weeks. Where from ?

Juneau.

Alaska ?

Yeah. Why ? Do you kiss with your nose ?

Just the boss.

Come on.

- Cover for me, will you ? - You got it.

2170 Corman. You got it.

Jack.

I knew Zane would contact you.

Still punctually challenged, I see.

- Professor Zarcoff. - Nelson, please.

I was sorry to hear about what happened to Zane.

Thanks.

Well... come on. The others are waiting.

Nice place. Oh, yeah.

Went bankrupt a couple of years ago.

So, what have you been up to after all these years ?

Nothing much. Same old Jack.

Oh. Here. My card.

Let's try to keep in touch this time.

You really like tilting at windmills, don't you, Nelson ?

That's why I'm here.

So, where are these people ? Right over here.

This is Jack, everybody. Zane's brother.

Trevor Aguilar.

I worked with your brother at the Griffith Observatory before he moved to Arizona.

I'm, uh, Tom Shilling. Zane and I were colleagues over at NASA.

According to his letter, you're the only one who knows where this thing is. Right ?

Yeah. I know all of you were colleagues of Zane's at one time.

Oh, actually, I'm not a scientist. I'm a reporter.

Whatever.

I'm just here to get this device and give it to you guys, and then I'm gone.

You find your brother's story of an extraterrestrial invasion hard to believe ?

What I find hard to believe is that I'm standing in a meat locker...

with a bunch of strangers in the middle of the night.

Supposedly, the aliens can't stand the cold, though, right ?

Well, to be honest with you, neither can I. Shall we get on with this ?

- Jack, you'll need this. - The last member of our group has finally arrived.

He's an unshaven Generation X slacker type...

with unkempt hair, clip-on tie and a badly wrinkled trench coat.

His attitude is more cynical than the others,

displaying an almost antagonistic...

Excuse me, Miss.

- What are you doing ? - I'm a reporter, so I report.

There's no harm in keeping notes as we go along.

He's right. Could we get going ?

We've been waiting here a half hour. Yeah, that's a good idea.

I go alone.

Well, isn't he a charmer ?

Not much of a family resemblance.

Actually, they're stepbrothers. Oil and water.

I guess that's why Zane never mentioned him.

If he were part of my family tree, I'd do a little pruning too.

What's taking him so long ?

Screw this. I'm gonna go get him.

I am coming with you.

I don't think we should separate until he gets back.

The alien object is about to be revealed.

The first piece is square-shaped with a protruding center jack.

The second is pyramid-shaped...

with a hole centered in the bottom.

We are now connecting the two pieces.

Oh, my God. What is it ?

It's an alien space station.

Multichannel holography.

Virtual reality without gloves or a helmet.

The base must have its own laser and a self-generating power source.

Jack, what element do we have here on Earth...

that can create multiple beams of fully coherent light,

is this small, yet can generate this kind of power ?

- Nothing. - So I guess your brother wasn't so crazy after all.

Come on, Trevor. Everyone's cold. Get a grip.

Oh, my God. What's wrong with him ?

Maybe it's hypothermia. Let's get him out of here. Jack ! Jack, don't.

Everybody out now.

Come on ! We gotta help him !

Hey !

Come on. Get up.

Professor !

On three !

One, two,

three !

Nelson !

Jack !

Where's your car ? I took a cab.

Shit. So did I.