Original subtitles

Control, this is Hunter One.

We're closing in on the front, over.

Hunter One, what's your position?

We're inside 15 miles.

Hunter One, activate launch sequence.

Roger, launch sequence activated.

Missile has entered the front.

Missile will reach the eye in three, two, one.

Okay. Let's deliver the package.

Yes, sir.

We have full deployment.

Fire it up.

Hunter One, bring the generator online

and increase power to 30%.

Yes, sir.

Generator has reached 30%.

Status?

Showing rapid barometric drop.

And the wind speed?

Approaching 100 knots.

We've reached category three status.

Let's see if you can give us a little more.

Yes sir.

Now, I want you to give me a 5% increase on generator power.

Slowly.

Increasing slowly.

Jesus Christ!

Bright flash, heavy turbulence.

Reduce power.

It's not accepting my commands.

Go to satellite link and override.

It's not responding, Doctor.

Try another frequency.

Negative. Still no response.

Link is unresponsive.

Wind speeds are now in excess of 140 knots.

I'm sorry, sir.

We have got to do something

before the situation gets any further out of control.

Further out of control?

I don't think that's possible, Doctor.

We have a category five hurricane out there

headed straight for Miami Beach.

If we don't reacquire that generator,

I don't have to tell you what's gonna happen.

I'm sorry, sir, we are doing everything within our power.

We need to activate the self-destruct

before it's too late.

All right, Doctor.

Activate self-destruct.

Yes, sir.

Doctor, I've lost all contact with the generator.

Doctor, I'm unable to reroute the self-destruct command.

Should we scramble a fighter out of Pensacola?

For what?

To shoot it down, sir.

Stand by, people. We are not calling anyone for help.

Captain Taylor, General Roberts here. Do you copy?

Yes, sir.

Captain, I am ordering you to fly into

the eye of that hurricane and to reacquire that generator

usually the optical system.

-Do you copy? -Sir.

The wind speed is damaging

the structural integrity of the plane.

Captain Taylor, I have given you a direct order.

Do you copy?

Yes, sir.

Very well.

Hold on.

I'm going into the eye. Hang on.

Hail Mary, full of grace.

[thunder crashing]

Blessed art thou among women.

Hail Mary, full of grace, blessed art thou among women.

Hail Mary, mother of God.

Mayday!

We're going down.

We're going down, mayday!

Come in, Hunter One. Hunter One, come in.

What's your status on reacquiring that generator?

The plane is gone, sir.

Disintegrated.

Wind speed just passed 180 knots heading north-northwest.

Looks likely to make landfall just south of Miami.

All right, people. Pack it up and move it outta here.

Q5 security measures are now in effect.

Notify the retrieval team on the double.

Dr. Platt.

Dr. Platt, we've gotta get going.

Dr. Platt?

Dr. Platt!

Is advising all residents of the Florida Keys,

through Dade and Monroe...

To seek immediate shelter.

I repeat, the National Hurricane Center...

Winds clocked at over 120 miles an hour

south of Miami, in the Homestead area.

Structural damage throughout South Florida.

In Fort Lauderdale,

anchors have been reporting flying glass and debris.

As the pounding continues...

Meteorologists are telling us

it could continue well into the night.

For almost an hor now.

Status reports...

And we saw two, maybe three cars

that were just picked up and thrown across the street.

A few blocks south of here

had its roof torn off just a few moments ago.

The South Florida town are saying

they have never seen a hurricane like this before.

The violence of these conditions right now

is just impossible to describe.

It's hard to believe this wasteland before us

was once a thriving middle-class neighborhood.

Nothing in sight has escaped undamaged.

Billions of dollars,

it's clear that Hurricane Andrew is shaping up to be

the most costly natural disaster in American history.

While some people say that it is a miracle

that only 44 people have been reported dead,

to the families of the victims, the loss is immeasurable.

140,000 homes have been damaged or destroyed.

160,000 South Florida residents have been left homeless

by the devastating power of Hurricane Andrew.

The National Guard has been

called in for support, as tempers have flared

and signs of looting have been reported.

As the people here comb through

the wreckage of their shattered homes,

hoping against hope for some small fragment

of the world they once knew,

all they have left are the memories

of the comfortable lives they led before Hurricane Andrew.

Ever since Hurricane Andrew in 1992,

there's been a whole new generation of

these so-called killer storms,

which are without precedent

since we started measuring these things.

Hurricane Margaret, Typhoon Byron, Tropical Storm Jeffrey,

the list goes on.

Dr. Ernesto Vega postulates that this is all

a result of global warming or the El Nino effect,

which is what?

Miss Garrett?

An oceanic surface-warming phenomenon.

Very good.

I'm glad someone's actually paying attention to me.

I'll tell you though,

what Dr. Vega's theory doesn't address is the following.

The intense bursts of heat detected

in the eye walls of these systems.

Look at this.

These are thermal satellite photos taken

of Hurricane Sharon at five-minute intervals.

You can see the center of the storm.

It's heating up very rapidly, very intense.

We've never seen anything like this before.

You gotta wonder

Okay, we're gonna have to call it quits early today.

Do the isobar exercises for 10.

Mr. Henwood, no beer on it this time.

Woo-hoo! It's about time, my man!

We got a storm to move!

Whoo. Glad you could make it.

I said glad you could make it, glad you could make it.

Are you ready, are you ready?

I am ready as I'll ever be, brother.

The Maytag awaits.

Okay, let 'er rip.

Generating vorticity at 65 megahertz.

She's up and running.

The air's still spinning at the same rate.

Brian, crank it up.

High as it'll go.

I don't think the dilithium crystals

can take much more, Captain.

It's getting a little rough up here, Scotty.

Quit screwing around, just crank it up.

Okay, whoa, that's too much!

Woo-hoo!

November 5029 Charlie, this is Miami Center.

Radar shows you are entering restricted airspace.

Miami Center, November 5029 Charlie

requests permission to traverse Miami airspace, over.

Negative, 29 Charlie.

Turn left to a heading of 170 to leave restricted airspace.

Do you read?

Shit.

What are we gonna do?

We can't change the course. The storm's going west.

We gotta stay north.

November 5029 Charlie, I repeat.

Change your heading and leave restricted-

I have a been feeling that's gonna piss him off.

You forgot to say over.

Are you getting that reading? Look at that.

The eye is tightening.

It's moving.

-It's moving! -Oh my God!

Oh, look at that! West by northwest!

We got control of the storm!

-Oh my God! -Woo-hoo!

24 degrees, brother!

Unbelievable! I know!

-I told you! -You know what this means?

"Larry King Live"!

Dr. Young?

Wayne Baker, FAA. Can I see your license?

Your license, please.

You ever fly again, you're going to jail.

You got it?

Have a nice day, son.

Dr. Young, Dr. Newmeyer, may I have a word with you?

-See, this is good. -I forgot to lock the door.

I've been on the phone for the last half hour

with a Mr. Baker from the FAA.

Yeah. You know what?

I'm sorry, that, that was an accident.

That's what happens, right there, brother.

Well, I'm tired of your accidents.

Not to mention your flagrant disrespect

for university policy.

I'm pulling your research grant.

You can't do that.

Yes I can.

Your ambition is gonna get somebody hurt one of these days.

I'm not gonna sit around hoping it won't happen.

Listen, Conway, if you really wanna learn something,

you gotta take risks.

You gotta, you gotta look at what we're doing here.

I've been at this university a long time, Doctor.

I think I know what is and what isn't

best for this department.

And these risks you take in the name of research

are totally inappropriate.

Well, then I am definitely in the wrong place.

I'm outta here.

Have it your way.

Wait a minute, wait a minute!

-No, come on. -Wait a minute!

Hey, Conway. Come on, man.

He's, he's the best meteorologist

that this school has ever had, and you know it.

Ron, I don't want you to leave,

but if that's the way you feel about it,

maybe it's for the best.

When it rains, it pours, huh, Doc?

What are you doing, man?

What?

I can't afford to quit just like that, man.

I got a wife and a kid to support.

Don't worry about it.

Oh, come on. Wait, wait.

Who's gonna hire us after all the complaints?

I mean, what, you think,

you think he's gonna write a letter of recommendation

-or something for us? -Brian.

You think he's Mr. Good Guy now?

-What? -We're good.

We're good?

Yeah.

All right, man.

So you, you've got it? You got it covered?

Yeah.

I'm, uh, I'm gonna get us some beers.

Right, right.

All right, I'll get some beers.

A bunch of 'em.

Hi, I'm looking for a Dr. Ron Young.

Yeah, that's me.

God, I've been looking all over for you.

Listen, I'm Tom Holt.

Zephyr Weather Dynamics.

Good to meet you. But you know what?

I'm not in the mood to chit-chat today.

You want to talk weather? Just go down the hall.

No, no, no. Not about the weather.

An associate of mine read your doctoral dissertation

on storm manipulation, said it was really fascinating.

Yeah, it was all right.

Said that you and a Dr. Newmeyer had been

conducting some experiments around here.

We were. Yeah, until just recently.

Then we got canned.

Well, then it is my lucky day.

Have I got a job for you.

Are you sure that you don't wanna come with me?

What, and work for the government?

You don't gotta look at it like that.

That's not gonna happen.

Besides, I'm an anarchist, and how many kids

were kicked out of the Boy Scouts

for subversive activities?

And you know, Shelley's got a nice job,

and Nina's in school.

Hey, hey, save it, Beavis.

'Cause Holt said they could come too, all right?

These guys got a real budget, real money.

We get a real salary this time.

Would you quit torturing me, okay?

I wish I was going with you, okay?

But I signed the papers. Till death do me part, okay?

I can't go.

Sit down, talk about it. You're sensitive.

That is a typical bachelor line, man.

You have no idea how it works.

You are so lucky that you did not propose to-

-What? -Oh.

Why do you even have to say that?

Until this very moment I forgot she moved to L.A.

Oh, really? All right, all right.

Yeah, well, tell me this.

Why is this research institute in L.A. anyway?

They don't have weather there.

You tell me something.

Why does it gotta be about weather all the time?

I'm going to Hollywood, man.

Huh?

All right, man.

I'm gonna miss you, brother.

I'm gonna miss you too.

Really?

No, but it sounded good.

And be careful in L.A., man.

'Cause your IQs gonna go down.

They are a clown short of a circus, my man.

We move storms, brother!

You'll be issued top secret clearance.

That means that you can't talk to anybody

about anything you do here, unless of course it's me

or one of your direct supervisors,

you understand that?

Yeah. What's with the red flasher thing?

Is there some kind of emergency?

That's our code for an unsecured person on the premise

and that's you, for now.

That'll change.

Anytime you see that red light, you stop talking.

You close any books you have open,

turn off your computer screen.

That way classified information is not compromised.

-You got it? -Yeah, I think so.

No, I hear you.

Come in.

-Good morning, General. -Yeah. Good morning.

Let me get back to again on that. Bye-bye.

Can you talk to Ron Young,

the meteorologist I was telling you about?

Dr. Young, Jim Roberts.

I'm the, what do they call me around here, Tom?

The Big Magilla, I think it is,

although I don't think they mean it with any affection.

Welcome aboard. Listen, I've gotta run.

I've got things to do.

I'll leave you guys time to get acquainted.

Thank you, Tom. Sit down, son.

Let me see if I can brief you on what this is all about.

For a few years now,

a group of us have been conducting tests,

trying to develop a technology to actually control storms.

And we've had some success in some areas.

We can make a storm larger or smaller if we want.

The, the seeding with silver iodide.

Yeah. Something like that.

Any rate, in all this time,

there is one part of the puzzle that still eludes us.

And that is controlling a storm's direction.

Manipulating it, if you will. And that's where you come in.

Maytag.

Say again?

Maytag.

It's, uh, it's what I call this device

that I've been working on.

Oh, right. The vorticity generator.

Yeah. Yeah, see, I've done my homework.

I'm just not up on all the science.

Could you brief me on this Maytag, please?

Well, basically it's, it's like a storm magnet.

We spin the air inside the eye

like a spin cycle on a washer.

And this creates a low pressure trough.

Now, we know that storms follow low pressure.

So with this, I can basically lead the storm

wherever I want it to go.

That's fantastic.

Yeah, it's only worked on small storms thus far,

but I believe with enough time and money,

I could make it rain in the Sahara.

Well, I think we're on the same page, Ron.

You mind if I call you Ron?

No.

Would you follow me, please?

You know, Ron, my dream is to someday move storms

as big as hurricanes to any part of the world.

Do you think you could redesign old Maytag to achieve that?

Sure. Yeah.

I, I don't see why not.

The only problem is how to move it around inside the eye.

Can't very well strap it to an airplane

and go into a raging hurricane.

I think we figured that part out.

Voila. That's our baby.

-Oh, wow. -The ion generator.

It's a little more high-tech than your Maytag, perhaps,

but then we have a slightly larger budget to work from.

Yeah, I guess. So how does it work?

We launch a cruise missile from a C-123.

Wait a minute. A cruise missile?

Uh-huh.

They cost a million bucks a piece.

Usually. I told you we were well-funded.

Any rate, when the missile reaches the eye of the storm,

it deploys the generator suspended from weather balloon,

which as you know can stay up there for three or four days.

Impressed?

I am.

Would you like to meet the genius

behind all this science fiction?

Yes, I would.

Step this way, s'il vous plait.

Excuse me, Doc.

Ron, this is Dr. Daniel Platt.

Doc, say hello to Ron Young, our storm-mover.

Hey.

How do you do?

Pretty good, Doctor.

Listen, I, I gotta say the work that you guys are doing here

is, is just amazing.

Well, thank you.

I'll have my assistant Jorgensen bring you up to speed

and perhaps you and I can sit down

and go over some logistics.

Excuse me. General Roberts, sir.

Yes, Lieutenant.

Washington on the line in your office, sir.

All right. Tell them I'll be right there.

Sorry guys, I'm gonna have to take this call,

but I wanted you to meet Major Goodman,

one of our top test pilots.

You two will be working together

to get your software running on board the Hurricane Hunter.

I'll tell you what, why don't you just go out

that hanger door over there and nose around the plane?

The major is usually never far away.

I'll see you guys later.

I'll be seeing you, Doctor.

Major Goodman.

Major Goodman.

Major Goodman?

Major Goodman?

Hey, you supposed to be doing that?

What?

Fooling around with the computers.

I don't fool around.

I'm checking this system while I wait for Major Goodman.

Oh, sorry, man.

Don't let me get in your way.

-[alarm blaring] -Oh, shit.

What is that?

You just activated the missile launch sequence.

I did not.

30 seconds to launch.

That's impossible. I didn't do anything.

Well, you can tell that to the major later.

Right now that missile's getting ready to fly.

Shit!

Come on.

Hold on.

Hit Enter.

You know, I didn't mean that, to do that.

I, I, I didn't want to, you know,

I wasn't, I wasn't trying...

What?

Yeah, that's.

That's real funny.

Look, I don't know who you are,

but I don't have time to screw around here.

Just tell Major Goodman that Dr. Young

was here looking for him, all right?

Good afternoon, Major.

Major?

You are-

Major Tanya Goodman, senior flight coordinator.

It's nice to meet you, Doctor.

Yeah. You, you, you too.

So what kind of experiments

are you gonna be doing?

I can't tell you. It's classified.

Why is the military running the program

instead of a civilian agency, like, like, NOAA?

I'm sorry, brother. That's classified too.

What do you mean it's classified?

You forget who you're talking to?

That's my research too.

I know it. And you know what?

If I ever publish it,

Dr. Platt says you will get credited also.

Dr. Platt? Who the hell's that?

It's this big meteorologist cat they got me working with.

If he's so big, why haven't I heard of him?

Jesus, Brian. I don't know.

Well, you know what?

Maybe I should do a little snooping around.

Maybe find a little something out.

Don't you have anything better to do?

Oh, I can't tell you that. It's classified.

Uh-huh, very funny.

So have you seen the Andrea yet?

No, Brian, I haven't.

You know what? It's not that kind of city.

It's not likely I'm gonna just run into her

on the street, man.

On a lighter note,

let's check in with Andrea McIntyre,

our very own on-scene reporter.

Hello? Hello?

Oh my God.

Andrea, how's it looking out there today?

Are things beginning to heat up?

Here in Hermosa Beach at the Fun Festival,

the annual bikini contest is taking place.

Don't let the fun in the sun fool you.

Competition is fierce.

Prizes will be awarded for the sexiest,

the smallest, and the most outrageous bikini.

I'm Andrea McIntyre with the beach scene.

Back to you, Richard.

Okay. We're outta here.

God, you know, I left Florida because

they only let me do stories about the weather, and now this.

I'm telling you, I can't get a break.

Story of my life.

Hollywood.

KLAZ.

Yeah, the TV station.

Of all the TVs in all the world,

why'd she have to pop up on mine?

Young. Young!

What the hell do you think you're doing?

What?

Do you realize that your power source

could blow a hole in the atmosphere?

I just, I didn't know how to get

all the power that we need into such a small area.

Well, you better find a way

'cause this isn't getting my approval.

Couldn't you just maybe expand your thinking

a little bit, Doctor?

I mean, General Roberts-

General Roberts is not a scientist. I am.

And I'm telling you I will not tolerate

recklessness in this program.

It leads to mistakes, and mistakes cost lives.

Am I clear?

Yeah.

Back to the drawing board, huh, boys?

Hello?

Hey, brother. It's me.

Hey, I can barely hear you. You in the can or something?

Nah, I'm in the car.

Car phone? Oh man.

I knew this was gonna happen.

You've gone L.A. on me, brother.

Well, not exactly. I don't have an agent yet.

Hey listen, bro.

I have had a hell of a time finding

anything at all on Dr. Platt.

Oh man. I can't believe you're still even doing that.

It's weird, man.

It's like this guy, it's like he don't exist at all.

You been watching "The X-Files" again, Brian?

No, I'm serious, man.

The only thing I found is when I hacked into

the local military computer system.

Brian, you're gonna get in so much shit for that.

Well, listen, there was a Dr. Daniel Platt, okay?

Working on the base in Homestead back in the early '90s.

Homestead?

Now, I'm not sure if it's the same guy,

but the guard gate records show that he came in every day

all the way up until August 23rd, 1992.

August 23rd. That's Andrew.

You got it.

I bet you their offices got scrapped

and they had to move out.

Yeah, I'm gonna see if I can come up with anything else.

Why don't you just quit snooping around and I'll ask him?

Ask him?

Yeah. What's wrong with that?

Well, nothing, I guess.

It just kind of takes all the fun out of it.

To make it a fun and safe summer,

lifeguards have posted warnings for all swimmers

to beware of those riptides.

I'm Andrew McIntyre with the beach scene.

Back to you, Richard.

Well, thank you.

Sounds like a great way to spend a weekend.

See, I think we can just modify the existing software

and be totally compatible in the satellite uplink.

I think that'll work.

Thanks.

Oh, hey, Doc.

You, uh, you didn't happen by any chance to be at Homestead

when Andrew hit, did you?

I got this buddy, he thinks he might remember you.

I wasn't too far from there myself,

but what a nightmare, huh?

No, I wasn't there.

I was overseas at the time.

Oh, right. Yeah.

Must have been someone else, then.

I spoke with Washington this morning.

They said this area might be ripe for saturation.

All right.

Let's watch for any systems building up off the coast.

We are.

How's the kid doing?

Good.

I think he's about got it ready for testing.

In fact, we got a storm picked out.

Very well.

-One thing though. -Hm?

He talks a lot.

Asks a lot of questions.

Tom, he's a scientist. He's supposed to ask questions.

I'm concerned he might have a problem with discretion.

Forget about it, Tom. He's a good kid.

I don't know.

Maybe I oughta keep him on a short leash.

I said forget it, Tom. Just do what you get paid to do.

That is what I get paid to do, sir.

And the Venice Boardwalk Art Festival

will continue through Sunday.

I'm Andrea McIntyre and that's the beach scene.

Richard?

Well, thank you, Andrea.

Sounds like a great way to spend the weekend.

When we come back,

you'll hear about a very special Southland family reunion.

And we're out.

All right, people.

Hey, Ann.

Ron.

I don't believe it. What are you doing here?

Well, I was just working, you know, in the neighborhood.

Figured I'd.

You? Working here?

I thought you hated L.A.

Well...

I mean they don't have weather there, remember?

Someone made me an offer I couldn't refuse.

It's great to see you.

You too.

How's Brian and Shelley and,

I forgot their daughter's name.

Nina.

Yeah. She's, she's really beautiful.

Brian, he's, he's still Brian.

Hm, I know.

You were great up there. I saw you.

You, you did the right thing to come out here.

I don't know. Sometimes I'm not so sure.

Really? Because you look very confident.

Very self-assured out there in the field.

You've watched me.

One time I did.

It was on at the place and I, well, twice maybe,

'cause you know, it comes on again at 11.

Ah, let's get outta here.

Let's go get some dinner someplace, huh?

God, I would love to, but.

You ready to go, honey?

I don't wanna miss our reservation.

Richard, this is Ron Young.

He's, um, he's an old friend from Florida.

Nice to meet you.

Yes, same. We gotta get going, honey.

You know how hard it was to get a table at Spago tonight?

Chop, chop, chop.

Look, can I take a rain check on that?

All right, which one?

The black one or the red one?

Uh, the red one.

-Okay, got it. -Ow!

You said the red one.

I meant the other red one. [groaning]

You know what?

Remind me never to go into a hurricane with you, okay?

'Cause you're dangerous.

Hey.

Never fly into a hurricane with me because I'm dangerous.

Great. Thank you.

Young.

I understand that you, uh,

had a visit with a reporter yesterday.

Andrea McIntyre, KLAZ.

Yes.

I hope you haven't forgotten about

our confidentiality agreement.

No, I haven't. And you know what?

It's not like that. We know each other.

We used to date back home.

Well, reporters can be a damn curious bunch.

Especially the ones you dated.

You're doing good work.

Your friend Holt.

He seems to want to know everything.

Why do you suppose that is?

Don't ask me. I just fly the planes.

Yeah.

Well, I hope you didn't eat too much

for breakfast this morning because

you're gonna be flying into a pretty nasty storm

over the Pacific.

In fact, the National Weather Service has just

categorized it as a powerful tropical storm

with hurricane potential.

I don't need to remind any of you that 85%

of the world's natural disasters are storm-related.

But now thanks to you,

we are finally on the verge of being able to control them.

Yes, this is a momentous day for all of us.

And we're counting on you to make this

the most successful test flight to date.

So let's get up there and kick that storm's ass.

Good luck, son.

Thank you, sir.

Heads up, guys. We're five miles from the front.

Okay. Let's activate launch sequence.

Okay. We are online and ready to go.

You just go ahead, Young,

and let us know when you have control.

Dr. Platt, we are locked in.

Excellent.

Now, let's turn that front to southwest

to a heading of 220 and pull it back to the 34th parallel.

Okay.

Two degrees.

I got four degrees.

Nine degrees.

Moving south by southwest.

Keep it steady, Young.

Jorgensen, commence phase two.

Yes sir.

21 Degrees.

29 degrees.

Barometric pressure at 986 millibars.

Are you serious? It was 991 at the last fix.

That's right.

That's impossible. A five millibar drop in five minutes?

Dude, what did you think we were doing up here?

Flying kites?

Wind speed is 65 knots. We got ourselves a hurricane.

Jesus. Has this thermobarometer been recalibrated?

Yeah, I did it this morning.

'Cause there is no way that that could...

Young, what's going on out there?

Looks like the storm is moving due west.

Doctor, I'm sorry.

I seem to be losing control of the storm.

Look, it's getting too big, too fast.

I never calculated for this in the original design, Doc.

Just try to regain control.

Can you override it and pick it up from down here?

Can't get a feed into it right now. Need a few minutes.

Damn it.

I'm sorry, Doctor. I've lost control of the storm.

Don't worry, Daniel.

We moved it once and we'll move it again.

Jorgensen, dial it back down.

Yes sir.

Barometric pressure is back up to 990.

Hunter Two, General Roberts here. Good show, people.

That was an outstanding test.

Major Goodman, bring it home.

Roger that, sir. We'll be home in time for dinner.

Well done. Young, I think that we need to calculate some-

Dr. Platt, I don't understand this project.

Now look, this, this ion generator you built,

it's way too powerful and you know it.

Why would you knowingly generate a hurricane?

Why not? If we don't do it, somebody else will.

I mean, the technology is just sitting out there

waiting to be developed.

We have to find out what this thing is capable of

before some power-hungry dictator,

or coldblooded terrorist, beats us to the punch.

Don't you think you're infringing on God's territory?

And you don't think God is on our side?

Come on, son.

Hey, Tanya, I, oh.

Can I ask you a question?

Free country. Talk all you want.

Okay, what, how many missions have you flown?

What, am I embarrassing you, Young?

I, no, I, I just, I just wanna know how many, you know,

where you guys have tested this thing.

What is this, 20 questions?

Okay.

You wanna have dinner with me?

Why? So you can quiz me some more?

No, just, just dinner.

Okay, maybe a little small talk in between the courses,

but definitely not a quiz.

See, I'm not big on small talk.

I like to cut right to the chase.

Oh really?

Maybe some other time.

Brian, what do you got?

Those assholes at NOAA would shit if they found out

I hacked into their system.

-Come on. -Okay, okay.

Take it easy. You were right.

I found the exact same heat signature in Andrew,

Hurricane Katherine in Haiti,

Hurricane George in Amsterdam island.

Amsterdam Island? I don't remember that.

Yeah, it was a, it was a little island

that was in the news 'cause they wouldn't let

our jets land there when we were bombing the Persian Gulf.

What?

Yeah, man, the whole island was flattened after the storm.

And then we went in, we gave them all this aid,

totally rebuilt the airstrip.

The place is like a B-52 parking lot now.

Now, you want me to give you some stats on it?

No, just keep going. Get every piece of data that you can.

You gonna, uh, you gonna tell me what this is about, bro?

Hey, I'd tell you,

but then I'd have to kill you, remember?

Can't you just tell me part of it

and rough me up a little?

I'll call you later when I can.

Hey. Can I see some identification?

All right.

-Evening. -Good evening.

Excuse me.

Dr. Young.

I'm sorry, but your clearance only allows day access.

I, uh, I just left something in my computer.

I'm sorry. You'll have to get it tomorrow.

It's a, uh, it's a phone number, man.

I, I gotta call this chick tonight

or I am really gonna be screwed.

Look, it'll only take me five minutes.

You can come with me if you want.

I can't leave my post.

Not even to go to the bathroom?

I know they let you go to the bathroom.

Oh man. I am begging you.

I mean, if you saw this girl, you would know.

You got five minutes.

You're a lifesaver. Thank you.

Come on, come on, come on, come on, come on.

Password?

Okay, okay.

Oh.

Dr. Young?

Dr. Young.

Dr. Young.

Dr. Young, your five minutes are...

Dr. Young?

Dr. Young.

Hey, man.

I'm just going to the bathroom.

Sorry, Dr. Young.

That do anything for the low end?

Yeah, that actually brings it up about 20%.

Listen, Dr. Platt.

I know what's going on here. I do.

And I know what you guys intend to do with this thing.

You do?

I also know you leveled Amsterdam Island

and that northern Mexico is next.

What I don't know, Doctor, is how you can stand idly by

while thousands of lives are destroyed with your device.

I don't know what you're talking about, Young.

I mean, you are right about Mexico.

Diablo Valley. That is the driest spot in North America.

They've had years of drought.

I mean, sure, we're trying to send a storm in there

to save people, not to hurt them.

And I suggest you get back to work

and quit dreaming up conspiracy theories.

I mean, we are on a very, very, tight deadline.

I don't wanna hear any of this.

Everything okay here, Dr. Platt?

Everything is fine.

Young, let's try that again.

Oh, mother.

Oh, come on, Ron, be home. Be home.

Come on.

Oh, shit. I can't believe I'm doing this.

So that offer for dinner still good?

Whoo!

Oh, oh, come on. You don't quit, do you?

I'll quit when I'm dead.

Be about five minutes.

When are you scheduled to fly to Mexico, again?

I'm not going to Mexico.

You must have tequila on the brain.

I wonder why?

When are you, when are you supposed to fly anywhere again?

One, two, three.

Oh God.

Oh, okay.

You, uh, you know you can tell me. You can.

You know what?

I don't wanna talk about work anymore,

but I don't wanna talk at all.

-Okay. -Come here.

Goodnight, buddy.

Hello?

Hello, Ron?

Shelley.

Ron, where have you been?

I've been trying to reach you.

What?

Brian was in a car accident last night.

Honey, he's dead.

What?

I didn't even get a chance to say goodbye.

Oh my God, Shelley.

Yeah?

What?

Mr. Young? Ron Young?

Yeah, why?

I'm Detective Nielsen.

Just got a couple of questions for you.

Shel, um, yeah, listen, I'm gonna have to call you back.

Where were you last night?

I was right here.

A woman and child were killed

in a hit and run accident last night.

Witnesses have IDed your vehicle.

It's, it's not possible.

Well, you mind coming on down to the station

and answering a few more questions?

I, uh.

Oh, it's.

What's going on out there?

Look, you gotta re meet the corner of Venice and 3rd.

I can't explain it to you right now,

but you've gotta do this for me, okay?

[police radio chattering indistinctly]

God, you're a mess. Are you okay?

Listen, I need to know what is going on right now

down in Mexico, politically.

-Mexico? -Yes.

That's what this is about?

Come on. Yes.

I don't know, I think they're talking about

nationalizing their oil industry again.

So what, what does that do to, to normal people?

Well, the big American oil companies

will lose their shirts, for one thing,

and it won't help the president's approval rating

since he sponsored NAFTA.

What does this have to do with you?

Well, I got a big story for you, but you may not want it.

Why?

'Cause it's about the weather.

Look, there's a storm right now.

It's brewing off the coast of Mexico. Keep your eye on it.

A storm. That's it.

Oh, a really big storm.

Does that make a difference?

Listen, hurricanes don't usually hit landfall

on the west coast because the water, it's just,

it's too cold, but this one, trust me.

It's gonna be different. Do you understand?

I think so.

All right.

Look, do a Nexus search on my boss.

Don't tell anything to anybody.

This could be getting dangerous.

What about you?

Don't worry about me.

Won't you be careful?

Just don't do anything stupid.

What the fuck did you put in my drink last night?

What are you talking about?

I'm talking about you drugged me so they could set me up.

Drugged you? Please.

You know, you passed out, so I left.

When are you going to Mexico, Tanya?

I told you I'm not going to Mexico, all right?

The plane left three hours ago. Platt went up in your place.

Security to the locker room now.

Get outta here, Goodman.

Now! Get outta here!

Hey, Commander.

Hey, Andrea.

You wouldn't by any chance be tracking a storm

off the west coast of Mexico, would you?

Mm, Tropical Storm Elizabeth?

Nah, it's nothing outta the ordinary.

It's just a low grade...

Hmm.

That's impossible.

It was just a...

Keep me posted, okay?

Yeah, okay.

Wind speed is now reaching 125 knots.

We've upgraded to a category four hurricane.

Should we continue to increase power?

That's affirmative. Continue to full power and hold.

I need to talk to you, General.

And I need to talk to you, Tom. What the hell is going on?

What are you talking about?

I was told you had one of your mercenaries

run somebody off the street last night in Miami.

Is that true?

I thought you wanted me to-

I don't care what you thought. Just listen to me.

This is not one of your rag-ass renegade CIA missions.

-You understand? -There was a breach...

I told you I didn't want that kind of crap in my program.

There was a breach of security, sir.

-So I took care of it. -I'm sure that you did.

When you buy a pit bull for protection,

don't be surprised when he ends up

biting somebody in the ass.

Oh, cut the bullshit analogy, will you?

I will not have you compromising my mission.

Excuse me, sir. We're having a problem.

What is it?

The storm seems to be shifting.

Oh, for Christ's sake. I'm not finished with you.

I didn't compromise.

What the hell's wrong? We lost control?

Sir, I'm checking.

Hunter Two, General Roberts here. Do you copy?

Dr. Platt, do you copy? General Roberts here.

Hunter Two, Dr. Platt, please come in.

What the hell's going on up there, people?

Dr. Platt? The general is talking to you, sir.

Sir, I'm having trouble connecting

to the onboard controls.

For Christ's sake.

See, this is precisely why I need Young here.

He's in my office.

What?

That's what I was trying to tell you.

He snuck on the base somehow. He's in my office.

Well, don't just stand there.

Get his ass up here on the double.

Hunter Two, General Roberts here. Do you copy?

Dr. Platt, what the hell is going on up there?

Daniel, please respond.

This is General Roberts. Do you copy?

Dr. Platt's doing something on board the Hurricane Hunter.

Sir.

Sir, he's changed the coordinates of the storm

and locked us out so we can't override.

He's turning the storm away from Mexico.

Can he do that from up there?

Yes, he can.

What can we do to stop him?

Nothing. That program's designed to run itself.

Jorgensen, General Roberts here. Do you copy?

Copy.

Jorgensen, I hereby issue special order

Zulu Two Niner effective immediately.

I say again, I hereby issue special order

Zulu Two Niner effective immediately.

Do you copy?

Yes sir.

Very well.

Excuse me, Dr. Platt?

Take five, Banks.

Control, this is Hunter Two. Control, this is Hunter Two.

I have gunfire on board. Repeat, I have gunfire on board.

I think we have sustained damage.

I've got a hydraulic systems warning. Control, do you copy?

Whatever happens, Captain, stay on course. Do you copy?

-Yes sir. -Very well.

This is Jorgensen.

Dr. Platt has been relieved of duty.

I'll have everything back online in just a moment.

Copy, Jorgensen.

You satisfied now, General?

Platt's dead, I'm wanted for a double homicide,

and your creation's on the way to destroying

most of northern Mexico, all-

Would you shut the hell up?

That's enough, Tom.

You're wrong, son.

That wasn't the plan.

I know you find it hard to believe,

but I do have honorable intentions.

Yeah, I'll bet.

Listen to me.

Do you know what this is really all about?

Son, we are actually on the verge now

of creating the first user-friendly

weapon of mass destruction the world has ever known,

with no nuclear fallout.

Now, think what that means.

No more putting our boys' lives on the line.

No more laying waste to places like Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Now we can send over

a full-blown hurricane to do the job

with no fear of reprisals.

The weather is God's territory, remember?

Now, you don't have to agree with me,

but you do have to look at the whole picture to understand.

The United States is now the only superpower in the world.

And that requires maintaining a global view,

taking into account a broad spectrum of American interest.

What do you know about that?

I don't see how killing Americans

could possibly be in America's best interest.

Hurricane Andrew, 44 Americans dead.

You know, I lost that many boys in one weekend in Vietnam.

Do you think anyone ever gave a damn about them?

So 44 civilians lost their lives in the name of science.

That's too bad, but it's not the first time and believe me,

it will not be the last.

Every operation runs the risk of collateral damage.

If you are uncomfortable running risks, Doctor,

while performing scientific experiments,

I suggest you find another field.

Let me put it this way.

If 200 people you'll never know

living on the other side of the world

in a town you've never heard of die in a hurricane,

but as a result, you get to spend $3 less

the next time you fill up your gas tank,

are you really gonna care?

Yeah. Yes I am.

Well, I got news for you, Doc.

I'm willing to bet that most Americans will not.

You see, as long as Americans have their life, liberty,

and their God-given right to buy cheap gasoline,

they are happy.

And I am the guy that's gonna make that possible.

Banks!

Banks!

No!

Sir, we've lost the plane.

Are you serious?

It just disappeared.

-General Roberts. -What?

The generator's locked on a new course.

What the hell are you talking about?

The hurricane, sir.

It's headed due north, straight for Los Angeles.

Oh my God.

Come on, people. Let's get that generator back on course.

You won't be able to redirect it from down here.

You know, I have had enough of you, Young.

Shut up, Tom.

You got any ideas?

Yeah, a couple.

Can I trust you?

General, you're gonna have to trust me

unless you wanna go down in history as

the man who wiped Los Angeles off the map.

What do you need?

Need these handcuffs off me, my software back,

and a plane to get me up there.

All right, uncuff him.

General, don't tell me that you-

I said uncuff him.

Give him everything he needs. Lieutenant, over here.

Get ahold of Major Goodman and prep Hunter Three ASAP.

Tell the major she'll be taking Dr. Young up there

to see if we can regain control of that damn thing.

On the double.

General, I do not feel like it's a good idea

to be sending Young up there.

I agree. That's why you're going with him.

Dr. Young, pray do not give me any further grief.

Come on, Nate, just give me a minute.

I'm a busy man, honey.

I'm hungry and I'm waiting for my haircut.

Look, I'm trying to tell you this could be big.

There was a hurricane headed for western Mexico.

Yeah, well, there's an Ebola outbreak in Zaire,

a military coup in Ecuador, and a bunion on my right foot.

Who gives a rat's ass?

Andrea.

Danny.

I've been looking all over for you.

That hurricane just made a dramatic shift north.

What?

You mean towards our way?

Oh my God.

Oh no, no, no, no. Don't worry.

Those things never get that far north.

They dissipate as soon as they hit the Humboldt current.

Most we'll get is a little rain.

Nice try, honey.

Wait. This one is not going to dissipate.

And if it gets up here, this,

we're gonna see a lot more than a little rain.

-Well, how do you know? -Yeah.

I have my sources, but I know.

Look, when you get some real news, let me know.

But in the meantime, stick to the fluff.

You're good at it.

Saw the storm data.

This thing wasn't designed to handle those kind of winds.

Looks pretty tough to me.

Oh, you think so, huh?

I think it's all we got.

Then I hope you prepared a will.

I don't have anything worth fighting over.

Air Force colonel's innovative cloud-seeding experiments

caused heavy rain in the Hai Phong region of North Vietnam,

forcing the Viet Cong from their tunnels.

Washington?

I'd like the number for the Air Force

public relations office, please.

This is Richard Collins with a KLAZ exclusive report.

Southern California, long plagued with natural disasters

such as earthquakes, fires, and mudslides,

faces another force of nature as Hurricane Elizabeth

bears down on the City of Angels.

This isn't happening.

According to KLAZ's staff meteorologist,

Commander Danny Rogers,

the storm formed off Mexico's southwestern coast,

then strengthened rapidly as it moved northwest.

Just moments ago, it reached category five

on the Saffir-Simpson scale.

Commander, I understand that Hurricane Elizabeth

could make landfall in as little as six hours from now.

Yes, yes, Richard, that, that's true.

The storm system has just crossed

the cold waters of the Humbolt Current,

which runs along our coastline.

Miraculously, it failed to slow it down.

I've never seen anything like it.

Thank you, Commander.

I'm just getting word from

the county emergency management team

that those of you in the beach community

should proceed with immediate evacuation procedures.

We're gonna pause for a brief station identification

and be back on the air with our round-the-clock coverage

of Hurricane Elizabeth.

Okay, everybody.

I need every reporter, every cameraman

out in the field pronto.

If this city's gonna blow away, I want to see it live.

Bill, Tim, down to city hall.

Andrea?

I'll take care of the fluff. I'm good at that.

Never mind. I want you to go to the Hollywood sign.

Wait. I want the Hollywood sign.

What do you mean? You gotta stay at the anchor there.

No way. I'm going out in the field.

If Dan Rather can hack it, so can I.

Fine, okay.

Then I want you to go to Sunset Boulevard

and get some shots.

Look, Nate, I've got inside information on this story.

Why don't you let me stay and cover the anchor desk?

Sorry, baby. You don't have the chops for it.

Oh yes I do.

Look, Richard tell him I can do it.

Nate, I need you to send someone over to Eddie Bauer

to get me some of that macho-looking weather gear.

Richard!

[thunder crashing]

First time up in one of these, tough guy?

15 miles from the eye wall.

Things are gonna start getting a little rough.

Did you have the fish or the lasagna?

The Malibu pier has been closed

and evacuation procedures have begun.

Roads are jammed all across the Southland

as evacuation procedures-

Supermarket shelves have been stripped bare

as residents prepare to either flee or ride out

this most unusual storm.

In Palos Verdes, these homeowners

are taking every precaution necessary

to avoid damage from wind.

Yes, I'm still here. Uh-huh.

Retired?

Are you sure we're talking about

the same General James Roberts?

Okay. Thank you for your help.

That is so weird.

Hang on. We're about to penetrate the eye wall.

They're in the eye.

We got anything yet?

I can't acquire it optically.

All of these codes are failing me.

Just keep going.

This is Andrea McIntire,

reporting live from west Los Angeles.

In a last-minute attempt

to evacuate the coastal communities,

both sides of the Santa Monica freeway

have been opened eastbound to accommodate

this mass exodus.

Fear and panic have definitely set in

as residents try desperately to move inland

and the reality of Hurricane Elizabeth

becomes all too clear.

Come on, dammit.

Come, agh!

Platt locked us out.

When he reprogrammed it, he must have locked us out.

The only way to recalibrate it is manually.

How am I gonna get that thing back on this plane?

Come on, move!

Look, I just need some information

on General James Roberts.

No, no, I already tried over to the base

and the brass claim that he's not on staff there.

Look, I think he's running some sort of

top secret black ops program.

Just see what you can dig up, okay?

Thank you.

You're gonna have to catch it with the wing

as close to the propeller as possible

without cutting the line.

Oh, that's brilliant.

If I hit it too far from the propeller,

it's gonna rip that wing right off.

You got any better ideas, I'd like to hear 'em.

Savage gale-force winds

have begun to pound Newport Beach-

Here on the Pacific Coast Highway,

power lines are down and traffic is blocked.

Are taking their toll here in Malibu.

Authorities are urging residents to stay indoors

as winds of up to 90 miles per hour have been reported.

Extensive damages being reported everywhere,

with the eye of the storm still 25 miles off our coast.

This once-great landmark you see behind me

is quickly falling to its knees

as winds of up to 80 miles an hour gust around it.

I don't know how much more it will take before it-

I think we've gotta move to a new location.

Back to you in the studio for now.

Am I off?

Yeah.

Well, let's get the hell out of here.

Here goes nothing.

Okay, it's 135.

130.

You're looking good.

125.

What the hell's that?

Stall warning. Shit.

All right, this has gotta work.

This thing is a damn slag.

You're a little too far to the left.

No, a hair to the right.

Guys, would you shut the hell up

and let me fly this thing?

Oh yeah! Hell yeah, yeah, we got it!

Wow. I never doubted you.

Look, this thing's adding a shitload of drag.

So what do you say you girls get back there and get to work?

Right, let's go.

Well, wait a minute.

Now that we hooked it, why can't we just

fly it where we want the storm to go?

No, because the storm will never keep up.

We'd have to be doing less than 50 to have a prayer.

Come on.

General, sir.

We've captured the generator.

We copy, Goodman. Over.

The storm's coming in fast and hard.

It's getting really nasty out there, sir.

All right, people.

Dump all your data and evacuate the premises on the double.

Move it. Let's go, let's go, let's go.

The wrath of God is falling on Los Angeles.

The city of vanity and greed,

filled with adulterers living in sin.

God moves in a mysterious way His wonders.

He plants His footsteps in the sea and rides upon the storm.

Let us kneel before the Lord God our maker,

for without repentance and salvation,

surely Los Angeles will be swept into the sea

by the mighty hand of God like Sodom and Gomorrah before it.

Okay, bring it around.

Bring it around.

Bring it around again!

Bring it around again!

Officials tell us they have

successfully evacuated the pier.

In Santa Monica, we begin to see water levels rise,

the first real signs of what may lie ahead.

Back to you in the studio.

Okay, we're off.

Let's get outta here.

Come on!

Hang on, I wanna get this shot.

Randy?

Randy!

Holy shit!

Come on!

That was so close!

God.

Richard!

Richard, look out!

Oh, God, no!

Thank you, thank you.

All right, I've got it!

Whoa!

-Hold on! -Holt!

Hold on!

I got you, I got you!

I lost him, I lost him!

Just bring it over a little more!

Come on.

Get it, come on.

Come on.

Holt!

Grab my hand! I got you!

What are you doing?

Sending this thing back out to sea.

No you're not.

This hurricane is going back to Mexico.

Shut up, Holt. That part of the program's over.

Send it back to Mexico!

Young, send it back to Mexico!

Change the coordinates.

What the hell are you talking about?

We're sending that hurricane back to Mexico.

Now.

Oh, shit.

You know, the other night I could've sworn

you kind of liked me.

You have 10 seconds.

Okay, but really though, I mean I,

you know, for a second thought that you were gonna kiss me.

Five seconds.

Which would a much more pleasant way to say goodbye.

Hunter Three, do you read me, Hunter Three?

Is the storm headed back to Mexico?

Sorry, sir.

Complete your evacuation.

You'll be contacted about any future assignment.

Yes, sir.

Wow. Look, are you sure about that?

Oh, Jerry, this is incredible.

No, I owe you a big favor now.

Thanks.

Randy?

I got tons of great stuff. Now if I only had a van.

You are not gonna believe it. I just found out-

Finally. Are you guys ready for the uplink?

-Richard. -Andy!

We got lots of good tape, man.

Oh no, no, no. You can pack it up, Junior.

The A-team's here now.

Richard. What are you doing here.

Andy, you have no idea what I have been through.

I was almost crushed by the big O.

What is going on, Randy?

They're here to file the report on the pier.

Oh no, no, no. This is my beat.

I nearly got killed covering it,

so I think I have earned the follow-up.

Sorry, honey. Seniority, I guess.

All right, Nate, we're ready.

-Richard. Let's go. -Ready.

And we go in three, two.

This is Richard Collins reporting live

from what used to be the Santa Monica Pier.

Hurricane Elizabeth came, saw, but we are not conquered.

Ron?

-Are you okay? -Yeah.

-What happened? -It's a long story.

-Are you all right? -Andrew, Andrea,

is this the guy?

-The meteorologist? -Yeah.

Nate, you gotta cut away from that bonehead Richard.

I've got the real story right here.

Hey, you know what? I'm not going on camera.

Get off me.

-Come on, man. -No, look.

I know what you're up against

and they can't touch you if you're in the public eye.

Just follow my lead, you'll be fine.

What the hell is that?

Are you trying to get me killed?

I told you I didn't wanna go on that thing.

I am trying to help you if you would let me.

Oh, you want to help me?

The only way you could possibly help me now

is if you know somebody in Washington.

Do you know somebody in Washington?

And three, two you're on.

The Senate armed services committee investigating

allegations that the hurricane which struck Los Angeles

last week was part of a secret program funded

by a renegade wing of the CIA was dealt another blow today.

General James Roberts,

who is currently under investigation in the matter,

died early this morning in

a single-car accident in Washington, D.C.

Roberts was to testify tomorrow before that committee.

Those hearings have now been postponed indefinitely.

In a related story, Dr. Ron Young,

the meteorologist at the center of this controversy,

announced today that he has received a $10 million

anonymous donation for his new facility,

the Brian Newmeyer Center for Weather Control Research,

which will break ground at Caltech later this year.

We'll be back in a moment with more news.

All right, Andrea!

I always said you were anchor material, right, Randy?

Good job.

Anonymous donation, huh?

Couldn't have done it without you.

And this new center is gonna be where?

Caltech?

As it turns out, they have weather in L.A. after all.