All language subtitles for Category.6.Day.Of.Destruction.2004.1080P.Bluray.X264.Aac-[Yts.Mx] (ENGLISH)

Approximately 12 hours ago, a few minutes
past 5 in the afternoon Central Time,

the city of Chicago
and its environs

suffered a sudden and
massive loss of power.

Since then, there has been much chaos
and confusion, as citizens were forced to

spend the night, literally
and figuratively, in the dark.

We have received no official
information on the cause of the blackout.

Authorities are continuing their
investigation to determine whether it was

human error, computer error, or
possibly even an act of terrorism.

We've been hearing eyewitness reports
throughout the night that the blackout has

spread across several Midwestern states,
but communication remains spotty at best.

She's good, isn't she?

In fact, most of Chicago isn't even
seeing this broadcast, only those with

battery-operated TVs
and emergency generators.

And now we have
reports from the National

Weather Administration
confirming another threat.

A major storm is making its
way south on Lake Michigan.

The stress caused to the power plant by
a second storm system blasting its way up

through the Tornado Alley region of
the country has greatly complicated the

process of getting power
back to Chicago so that

warnings and other information
can go out to the public.

With me is Ben Welsh of
the Chicago Fire Department.

Can you tell me, what kind of rescues
has your department been making?

We've gotten people out of elevators,
off rooftops, out of office buildings,

parking garages.

We've heard that emergency services
have been stretched to their limit.

Supplies are down.

We're running short of
gas for our generators.

Things were bad before the
blackout, but now they're pretty tough.

We certainly appreciate
your hard work and dedication.

We've also heard scattered reports
of looting incidents and store owners

charging as much as
$50 for a pack of batteries.

Unfortunately, looting and
price gouging are something that

we've come to expect during
public emergencies like these.

In Chicago, this is Amy
Harkin, WNUW News.

What have you got, Dave?

University Hospital is on
emergency systems only.

They're short-staffed.

What about police and fire, Bob?

The automatic relay failed.

They're still trying to reset.

Hyde Park and most of the Southside
stations are still completely in the dark.

If we don't get power back soon...
Has anybody heard from Dan London?

Half the workforce in the loop
got stuck in traffic jams last night.

People had to walk 10,
20 miles to get home.

I haven't heard from
my family yet in Cicero.

I haven't heard
from mine either.

Mom?

Lindsay?

Emergency

workers are needed in the city.

A severe new storm is forecast to
hit the city as early as mid-afternoon.

Hello?

Hey, is anyone in there?

Hello?

Annie?

Sit down.

Everyone shut up.

Don't say a word.

Annie!

Andy One!

Hey, Eric, man, why don't
you just go talk to her?

I mean, maybe she'll
change her mind.

Change your mind about what?

I broke up with him.

Not because you wanted me to.

You should trust me.

I hate being away
from home this long.

I wish I could just
hear her voice.

You will.

I don't know what
I was thinking.

I should have just got
them to change my schedule.

Don't beat yourself up, Jeff.

She'll be fine.

What was that?

A police siren?

Maybe they're
coming to rescue us?

Maybe not.

What time is it?

It's almost 6 in the morning.

We've been in here
for over 12 hours.

The owner is going to
get an earful from me.

Or better, my lawyer.

How are we going
to get out of here?

Well, somebody will realize that you're not
where you're supposed to be, won't they?

Yes, except I didn't call my
parents to tell them I was coming.

I was going to call in the car.

What about your
sister-in-law, the reporter?

Amy, right.

She'll come check on me.

Or Jeff will call and... Because I don't
know anyone who'd come looking for me.

It's not that I don't
have any friends.

It's just that people are used to me not
answering the phone when I'm working.

You do pottery, right?

Sculpture.

I'm an artist.

And I had my studio
here long before this.

Before locks were cool.

I've seen you with your stuff.

My stuff is all natural mediums.

I prefer to make art from
materials that the Earth provides.

It's my way of paying
homage to a planet

that modern man is
systematically destroying.

Well, I'd like to see your
pottery or sculptures someday.

You know, when
we get out of here.

The storm, continuing to move straight
down Lake Michigan towards Chicago,

is now building to winds
gusting over 155 miles per

hour, which would make
it a Category 5 hurricane.

Chicago's emergency
services and communications

are down due to the
continuing blackouts.

And the power outage has now been
further complicated by the record number of

tornadoes moving up
through western Missouri.

We're lucky they haven't
hit a major city yet.

Well, they've hit
everything else.

Trailer parks, small
towns, churches, farms.

One just touched
down outside of Braxton.

It's heading
right for St. Louis.

We'll have to issue a warning.

You all right?

Yeah, yeah.

You know, I've been staring
at clouds since I was a kid.

Ever since I realized I might be
able to make a living staring at clouds,

I've been a pretty happy guy.

That's a lot of responsibility.

Yeah, well, that's the downside.

God knows I made some bad calls.

Galveston in 98.

I got them to issue an alarm.

It was an evacuation order.

The storm never came ashore.

64 people died in the panic.

Now, just as I'm starting
to trust my instincts again,

everything I ever learned
about weather is out the window.

With your experience, you'll figure
this out faster than anyone else.

Yeah.

Andy.

We just received the overnight temperature
readings for Illinois and Missouri.

Now, instead of dying down at night,
this thing is actually gaining strength.

Yeah, the sun is up.

It gets too hot too soon.

How much stronger can this get?

Well, it's a stupid law.

I mean, how can they
force us to take all the

nuclear reactors offline
when we need power most?

I understand it's
the safety systems.

I thought we had
that problem fixed.

Okay, look.

Just get back to me.

You know, I always made sure my office
had a shower in it and a fresh change of

clothes on hand, because you never know
when you're going to pull it all nighter.

Well, at least we can crisis-manage with
a backup generator and air conditioning.

Yeah, and a
fully-stocked kitchen.

Thanks, Dennis.

You're welcome.

So what do you think?

Are they going to charge us?

For what?

Price manipulation?

Collusion?

They're not going to
have anything on us.

And let's keep in mind, folks,
that we're still producing electricity.

They're the ones
who can't distribute it.

Alexa.

Becca.

Hi.

You're calling Craig?

Yeah.

How are you?

Under the circumstances.

Not bad.

Hang on.

It's Mitch Benson.

The feds have ordered us to
take our nuclear plants offline.

Because our safety systems
are at risk in a blackout.

Which means we
can't get you any power.

Great.

Listen, we've analyzed this
thing upside down and sideways.

It's got to be a hacker.

You think it's a terrorist?

Yeah, apparently
they're threats.

The FBI's looking into it.

I got my hands full trying to get the
power back on before this next storm hits.

What are you going
to say to the press?

I don't know, Schiltz.

Maybe something like a virus has infected
our computers and we can't get rid of it.

And emergency services is running
out of fuel for their backup generators.

Otherwise,
everything's just great.

Sense of humor in
the midst of a crisis.

I like that.

Like, I'll send Becca
over to help out.

You keep me updated
and I'll do the same.

Mitch?

Yeah.

Secretary Abbott
is still on the phone.

I'll take it at my desk.

Thanks.

Well, I've met
with the president.

He told me whatever you need, the
federal government is ready to help.

The federal government just ordered
Lexar to take their nuclear plants offline.

And I've been calling power
companies east and west

trying to find some power
and nobody's got any for us.

Has Greater Midwest ever gotten power
coming across the Western Interconnect?

No, ma'am, but if we can
map a route, we can get it.

Yes, but if you try
to come through lines

without enough capacity,
you could melt them.

Right now, my
main problem is time.

This storm is set to
hit by mid-afternoon.

Let me get to work on this.

I'll call you back as soon
as I have more information.

Yes, ma'am.

I told him we'd take care of it.

You know the outside power
companies are going to say they

have their hands full providing
to their own customers.

Well, did L.A.

spend the night in the dark?

Does Denver have a major
storm bearing down on them?

No, but they've got wildfires burning
out of control in three states that have

knocked out the power in
parts of Utah and Arizona.

What he's proposing
is very risky.

If it doesn't go right, it
not only melts the lines, it

could potentially disrupt
other grids across the country.

But with three million lives
at stake in Chicago alone,

I'm afraid we're going to
have to take some risks.

Hey.

I thought I looked like hell.

Long night.

Longer for you than me.

Is your family okay?

Well, last time I talked
to Jane, she was going

to go get the kids and
wait to hear from me.

Of course, that was before the power went
out and I haven't heard from them since.

I'm sure they're safe at home.

Listen about this
press conference.

Do we know what we're saying?

Yeah.

We're working on the problem.

We'll let you know
when it's fixed.

But do not ask me to defend this computer
program that Lexer shoved down our throats.

I'll handle those questions.

Ready?

How are you holding up?

I'm running on adrenaline.

Yeah, me too.

What happens when it runs out?

We just take turns
keeping each other awake.

Okay, we've all
had a long night.

Yes, there's been a
city-wide power outage, the

cause of which we're
still trying to determine.

Now, the load at the time
that the grid began to fail

was no different than it's
been for the last three weeks.

But our primary concern
is getting the power back

on so we can warn
people about this big storm.

We didn't just lose power.

Backup systems
across the city failed.

Was that caused by a computer
program recently installed by Lexercorp?

Yes, the backup
systems did fail.

And the program that you're
referring to was approved by the

city council and was undergoing
extensive testing, obviously.

The fact is we're looking at a broad
spectrum of systems that failed here.

An exhaustive
investigation... Has this

exhaustive investigation
produced any leads?

We can't answer
that and you know it.

You know, the important
thing at the moment

is how we get the
power back on to the city.

We have about four hours
before we expect the storm to hit.

What's Dan London telling you?

Nothing.

Nobody's seen him
since the power went out.

Jace, we gotta go.

Where to?

Find the man with the answers.

I'll take us in closer for
a better wind reading.

It's stronger than it looks.

When the lights come back on,
the cops will be spread way too thin.

It's gonna be easy to escape.

With this cache... We
can go anywhere we want.

They still know who we are.

They'll tell the cops
and they'll track us down.

And I'm not going to
prison for this, man.

I could go to prison just
for taking that dude's gun.

I say we ditch the guns
and just split, alright?

They're gonna
have to kill us first.

We're all witnesses.

Without this?

I should try to talk to them.

Absolutely not.

This whole thing started with Eric
freaking out because I broke up with him.

If I'm nice to him, I can
probably get him to calm down.

Maybe it's worth a try.

Try it with your own daughter.

No, I am not sending
you out there to

bargain with a punk
kid holding a loaded gun.

What if we rush them?

Lindsay!

Get back.

Mom, let me do this.

Step back.

Look, you can turn
this whole thing around.

I didn't mean for this
to get out of control.

I know that.

You're not a bad person.

I just really wanted
to talk to you, Lindsay.

This was all an accident.

Then show me by putting down the
gun and letting those people out of here.

Now's the time.

While he's distracted
with the girl.

But there's two of them.

Yeah, the other kid
won't do anything.

We'll still be in trouble.

But not as much trouble.

Just take the bullets
out and put it away.

Then when we get out of here, I
can tell him you did it voluntarily.

You'll stick up for me?

Yeah.

You got Panda
being trapped in here.

Well, yeah, I
mean, that's right.

Oh, Lindsay!

Lindsay!

She's been shot!

Help me!

Help me!

Help me!

Andy, Tommy's on line three.

Tommy, where are you?

I'm looking at
the St. Louis Arch.

Where do you see some of this
footage I've been getting, Andy?

I'm a little jealous.

Listen, Tommy, our readings are showing
this thing spawning F4 and F5 tornadoes.

What are you seeing?

You know, I'm amazed.

I haven't heard
you complain once.

The path to inner peace
is the relinquishing of all

desire to affect things that
are beyond one's control.

Is that Buddhism?

Stoicism.

It is similar to the Dallas
philosophy of China.

You know that?

Applying ancient wisdoms
to today's problems

really puts things
into perspective.

You know, I've been thinking more
about philosophy since I've been pregnant.

Maybe you could
recommend some books.

Well, it boils
down to two things.

Live in harmony with nature and take
responsibility for how you live your life.

And always make sure there's
enough granola on the shelf.

That was a joke.

I don't find
anti-environmentalism very funny.

I'm not anti-environment.

You don't recycle half
as much as you should.

Have you been going
through our trash?

I don't have to.

Am I wrong?

Okay, we could recycle more, but
I'm certainly not against recycling.

It's now confirmed that the tornado
that touched down in St. Louis was an F5,

the highest on record.

Sources now privately fear that the deadly
band of tornadoes which began several days

ago could actually slam all the way
to Chicago, where that city is already

bracing for a massive storm with
Category 5 hurricane force winds.

The more destruction this
bastard causes, the stronger it gets.

You see the damage
reports from St. Louis?

How could it knock
down the arch?

I thought that thing was built to
withstand 300 mile an hour winds.

I thought the highest winds ever recorded
for an F5 tornado were 243 miles an hour.

Which makes this an F6.

And we've never seen an F6.

Has a system spawning
these kinds of tornadoes

ever collided with a
Category 5 hurricane?

Not that anybody's ever seen.

What'll happen if it does?

Hiroshima and Nagasaki times 50.

If these two storms do converge,
you've got to help those people.

The system which caused such severe damage
in St. Louis only an hour ago continues to

pick up steam as it hurls towards Chicago,
where that city is already girding itself

with a hurricane which will hit the
downtown area in just three hours.

Millions of people still don't know about
the severity of the storm because of the

continuing power blackout, which is
now the subject of an exhaustive internal

investigation by the
Lexer Energy Corporation.

Dan Lennon was always
harping on me about security.

Maybe we should have listened.

He's an idealist.

His ideas in this economy
aren't remotely compatible.

We should fire him.

Now?

Announce it in a press release.

Lexercorp dismisses its head
systems operator, Dan Lennon.

Lennon was responsible
for installing the programs,

linking the city's backup
generators, blah blah blah.

But everyone will assume
he caused the problem.

Precisely.

After something like this,
somebody always takes a fall.

Would you rather it be you?

I didn't think so.

This is exactly what he
said was gonna happen.

So why does he up and
disappear in the middle of it?

Well, that's what
we gotta find out.

Just hope he's okay.

Yeah.

Hey, you know, a couple blocks
up, will you take a ride on Hermitage?

Why?

I just want to check
on my sister-in-law,

make sure she made
out of her apartment okay.

When was the last
time you talked to her?

Before the blackout.

What's wrong?

I think I just felt a pain.

Well, um...

Oh, I'm sure it's fine.

I'm sorry.

You must think I'm this,
uh, cantankerous old lady.

No, you've been a complete
joy to spend time with.

I-I'm sorry.

I, um... I should have been more,
uh, sensitive to your condition.

I...

My condition?

I'm pregnant, okay?

Laura?

Hey, honey, you here?

She took us three years.

We spent all our money on fertility
testing and artificial insemination.

And then we stopped trying, and,
uh... It's funny how that works, isn't it?

Yes.

She went to her parents!

Are you sure?

Her suitcase is gone.

Jeff told her to go there.

I don't know, tell
me not to worry.

I shouldn't worry, right?

Don't worry.

I always wanted to be a mom.

But the, uh, the pregnancy part turned
out to be a little tougher than I expected.

The doctors told us she needs to
stay in a real low-stress environment.

I'll tell you one thing.

I can't wait to be a dad.

Having a son's the
greatest thing going.

Taking him to his
first Cubs game.

Going up with him
on his first chairlift.

You know, just getting down on
the floor, doing a little wrestling.

I just pulled into
Sangamon County.

And I'm looking at the total
destruction of a farm compound.

I'm okay.

That was close.

All right.

Now listen up.

Something happens to me.

And these recordings fall
into someone else's hands.

As God is my witness, I bequeath every
bit of video, audio, to Andy Goodman.

The National Weather
Administration.

It's not like we can just press a button
and send power wherever you want us to.

No.

You'd have to press
more than one button.

But I bet if there was a gun to your head,
you could easily get enough votes from

your board within the next
hour to get this process started.

Are you going to be
the one holding the gun?

We don't use guns in
this office, Mr. Gordon.

We have other, more effective
weapons at our disposal.

Are you threatening me?

Please inform your chairman.

He has one hour
to get those votes.

We have to map a
transmission route that goes

over, under, and around
the lines that are down.

And the main risk, obviously, is not
to overload the lines that we've got.

But we've got to get power
to emergency services and the

people who are trapped and
don't know what's going on.

So, that's it.

Get to work.

No.

We're not asking
for favors, Jerry.

We're inviting you to
join a humanitarian effort.

One which the president
endorses and which

many of your competitors
have already joined.

All right.

We go through the Belmont corridor
here and then here through Lincoln Park.

These lines don't
have enough capacity.

Okay.

Well, then you try to reduce the
load or take it around Lincoln Park.

Okay.

Okay?

Yes.

We're acutely aware of
the strain on your plants,

but this would only be
for a short period of time.

And since it's a group effort,
we're not asking for a lot.

How are we doing with Calumet?

That route should be good.

Yeah, but not this one here.

So, all right.

Go back to the Humboldt Street
substation and find a new route from there.

Okay.

Okay.

How's this for a perspective?

The companies who
do help us will be publicly

noted and have our
praise heaped upon them.

The companies that
decline will also be publicly

noted with something
different heaped upon them.

This is the emergency
broadcast system.

Everyone's headed
away from the lake.

Yeah, and we're
heading straight for it.

Any time you want to
go, just say the word.

Yeah, well, if you're
sticking it out, so am I.

Jase, you don't have to.

If I take off, who's going to be
around to keep you out of trouble?

Away from windows and
doors and flying debris.

Dan, it's Amy!

Dan, I know
you're in there or...

You know what's going on, right?

Why aren't you at Midwest?

It's big, isn't it?

The whole city is down.

It's spreading to other states.

This is exactly what you
said was going to happen.

I did, didn't I?

Is there something wrong?

Besides the whole
Midwestern grid failing?

What, were you
planning on trying to help?

What do you think
I've been doing?

I've been up all night.

I'm totally stressed.

My chest feels like there's
a thousand pounds on it.

Was it you?

Dan?

What have you done?

I've been asking myself
the same question.

I know the storm hits in a
few hours, but if we move

too fast, we could blow
every grid in the country.

I understand the risks,
Bob, but we have to make

sure that these weather
warnings get out, okay?

That's the plan.

If anybody's got a better
one, please speak now.

All right, everybody
work together.

Let's make it happen.

Hey, how are you?

How are you?

I can't believe the
pressure you're under.

It keeps me from
worrying about other stuff.

Your family?

Yeah, I just have to believe
that everything's okay, you know?

I'm sure they are.

Your wife seems like someone
you can count on in a crisis.

Yeah, she is.

She needs a doctor.

Is there no way to
override the security doors?

Not without backup power.

What about shooting the
glass out of the windows?

They're bulletproof.

You know I didn't
mean to do this, right?

Threatening people with a
loaded gun is no accident.

Mom?

It's okay, babies.

I'm gonna get you out of here.

Oh, I promise I'm gonna
get you out of here.

Move immediately to low-rise
buildings or pre-designated

public shelters before you
are cut off by floodwaters.

So from the beginning, Wrigley Field, all
those other incidents, that was all you.

It was my way of warning them.

You knew the system
better than anyone else.

No one looking
over your shoulder.

You could erase your fingerprints,
point to an intruder from the outside.

And still, they wouldn't listen.

So you wrote a virus program that
told the system it was overloaded.

That's the only way that
they feel the full impact.

So now that you've proven your point,
why haven't you turned the power back on?

First of all, I didn't know that a
tornado was gonna take out 200 miles.

200 miles of transmission lines.

And after that, it...

It just got out of control.

You have to believe me.

It doesn't matter
what I believe.

What matters is getting
the power back on.

Can you do that?

No, I can't.

I can't log in from here.

I've tried everything.

The system won't
allow remote access.

You are aware that there
was another storm coming.

People have died.

We have to get power back to the
police, the hospitals, the shelters.

I know all that, but I
can't go back to Midwest.

They won't let me
into the system.

They'll know it's me.

They'll call the
police, the FBI.

You log in from somewhere else?

Dan, you have to try.

You don't.

It will only be worse
for you down the line.

What do you care?

You don't care about me.

You got your story.

I care.

I care about those people, those
families whose lives are at risk.

I didn't mean to
crash the whole thing.

The only way to prove that is to get
back in there and erase those viruses.

You do that, I will tell
the entire world that

you are only trying
to do the right thing.

I will tell your
story on the air.

Like you did last time?

I will give it to a newspaper.

I'll do whatever it takes.

You just got to think
there has got to be a site

other than Midwest
that you can log on from.

Winds at 160 knots.

Waves in excess of 15 meters.

Precipitation extremely heavy.

This thing's off the charts.

Andy, we're going to get a
12 to 15 foot storm surge.

We need to move those people
away from the shoreline now.

And send them where?

We tell the emergency
people evacuate millions of

residents in southern Lake
Michigan and send them inland.

Right into the path of
oncoming tornadoes.

It's not much of
a choice, is it?

I already know the question.

Then don't make me ask it, pal.

I bet you a two dollar bill, Andy, that
this thing is going all the way to Chicago.

Yeah, that's what
I was afraid of.

Yes?

Ah, put him through.

Ross!

You're five minutes late,
but the offer's still open.

Wait.

Wait.

You're talking to me about
regulatory concessions?

We're talking
about lives at stake.

No, we're out of time.

Oh, my friend, the consequences will be
so much more painful than a twisted arm.

I'm a very nice person.

But I'm not someone
you want for your enemies.

Hurricane and tornado
warnings are now in

effect for all counties
bordering Lake Michigan.

Torrential rains and gale force
winds over 150 knots are imminent.

Okay, I'm gonna have Jason start taping you
so we can show you restoring the system.

I just want people
to know the truth.

Wait, where do you
think you're going?

Oh, they sent me from Midwest.

I need to log into the system.

Come on, this is an emergency.

I'm here to fix the problem.

I'll start uploading codes
that reverse the first sequence.

And tell the system
it's not overloaded.

What's the vacuum
on the condenser?

Three inches of vacuum.

Start the auxiliary oil pumps.

Somebody give me
the seal oil pressure.

Fifteen pounds.

Close the transformer
disconnects.

Start the exciter.

Open the turbine outlets.

It's going to be a
staggered transmission.

Our engineers will be
contacting you with instructions.

Thank you.

You will not regret this.

You did it.

You mean I bullied, badgered, and
sweet-talked a bunch of middle-aged power

company executives
into helping a city in crisis.

And by the way, none of
them are doing it for free.

Should we call Grainer Midwest?

Oh, I bet they could use
some good news about now.

Thank you.

Bye.

Okay, the deal's in place.

Everybody knows the plan.

As each of your regions
comes online, I want

you to confirm with
your field contacts.

Okay, got it.

Good work, everyone.

The DOE came to a financial agreement
with power companies in the West.

Only the government's
not paying for it.

We are.

Can they do that?

No, we're not going
down without a fight.

Tell everybody they can go home.

They've already gone.

We'll be on our way home
in just a few minutes, okay?

Bye.

Did we get a relay
override on 348 breaker?

Yes.

40% of the city has power now.

Well, let's still leave 60%.

Remember, synchronous speed.

Yeah.

Okay, okay, let's go.

Come on, come on, come on!

This piece is gonna be great.

What are you
gonna do about Walt?

Look, I made a promise to Dan.

So once the piece is finished, if he
says no, we're gonna go to 60 minutes.

Tornadoes in Chicago.

What did we ever do to
piss off Mother Nature?

I wouldn't worry
about this building.

It's built to withstand winds
up to 300 miles an hour.

Now if the wind's
stronger, it'll just blow away?

If the wind blows stronger than 300 miles
an hour, the whole city will blow away.

Yeah.

Okay, come on, we're ready.

The chopper's here.

Let's go.

I considered having
a natural childbirth.

And then the labor pains began,
and I said, give me the drugs.

You had a child.

Oh, I have a child, yeah.

She lives in London.

Why so far away?

She's a currency trader,
and she likes it there.

What happened to her father?

Died.

Heart attack two years ago.

And we hadn't even saved a dime, so
that's why I moved into my studio here.

And now, now they're
selling it out from under me.

Couldn't you go live
with your daughter?

What, and give up
my independence?

Hell no.

Do you have other family?

Nope, nope.

It's just me and my art.

Hmm.

You must get lonely.

Loneliness is a
form of weakness.

I don't believe that.

People need people.

Ridiculous song.

You know, I could never imagine
being separated from my child.

Or have your husband
die on you, but it happens.

You know, I... I never talk
to anyone about this stuff.

It's, uh...

It's too painful.

I understand painful.

You okay?

Breathe.

Breathe.

Hang in there, baby.

I'm sorry, Mom.

What?

Not trusting you?

Let's just get you out of here.

The city's well over 50% and most emergency
facilities are coming back again, right?

Let's do it.

Got the power back.

You can get out of here now.

Well, you know, everybody
here is missing their families.

I'm gonna stay to the end.

It began as a demonstration of
our power system's vulnerabilities.

A wake-up call to the public that said,
Do not take your electricity for granted.

Uh, I needed to let people know that
computer technology cuts both ways.

Through this man's efforts, power is about
to be restored to the city of Chicago.

What was intended as a
warning got out of control.

But hopefully the end result will help
change people's thinking about the

reliability of their power and force
companies like Lexercorp to be more

accountable and make the system
better instead of always seeking the cheap.

and easy solution.

The next part of your story is at
Midwest when the lights come back on.

You, uh, you better get going.

Thanks, Dan.

Winds are at their highest yet.

Still heading for
the south shore.

The storm is gonna be massive.

Before I left, my sister was giving me
a hard time about flying weather recon.

Being too dangerous
and all that.

Irony is, we're safer up here
than they are down there.

You've got to keep
your blood circulating.

What if the baby starts to come?

Mind over body.

You just keep telling yourself it is
not gonna happen until you are ready.

God, I don't know
if I'm gonna make it.

Laura, just listen to me.

You have somehow got
to let go of all of your fears.

Easy for you to say.

Okay, well, um, you've
seen Gone with the Wind?

Well, if Scarlett O'Hara
can birth a baby, so can I.

I thought you had
no sense of humor.

Hey, the power's coming back on.

You should try
calling her again.

I'll take the controls.

I've got it, I've got it.

Yeah, yeah, right here.

Hello?

Laura?

Are you okay?

We... we've been
stuck in the elevator.

We've been in here forever.

We have to get...

Laura?

Laura?

Laura?

Laura, what's wrong?

Uh, Jeff, hi.

Who's this?

Is Helen Travers your
neighbor upstairs?

Everything is all right?

Laura is fine, she's
just in a little pain.

Is she having the baby?

No, no, not yet.

Is she really okay?

I'm not sure.

We've been stuck
in this elevator.

Since when?

Five o'clock
yesterday afternoon.

But now that the phone's
working, we'll dial 911.

So you don't know
about the blackout?

Oh, it was a blackout.

Helen, I need you to
listen to me very carefully.

And I need you to stay
calm for Laura's sake.

There are two very big
storms headed toward Chicago.

Two?

Either one would be destructive.

But together, they'll be deadly.

Hello?

Hello?

What did he say?

Uh, um, apparently
there's a city-wide blackout.

It's not just our building.

I'm gonna call 911.

Yeah.

Hurry.

No, it's not working.

Oh, Maria.

Oh, sweetheart.

What am I gonna do?

No!

No!

No!

No!

No!

Lindsay?

Dad?

Garth?

Where are you?

At the North Avenue mall.

Mom and Lindsay didn't
make it home last night.

What?

I was freaking.

I couldn't call out.

There were no lights.

I was all alone.

But when the power came back
on, I had a message on voicemail.

She called from the bank at
the mall just before the blackout.

Okay, well, call me whether you find them
or not, and I'll come pick you up, okay?

I will, Dad.

I can open the door.

We're gonna get out of here.

Call 911.

Mom.

Garth.

Garth.

What happened to Lindsay?

She was shot.

Is she gonna be all right?

Just as soon as we
get her to a hospital.

Ringing.

There's no answer.

The lines must be jammed.

I heard they were closing down
all the hospitals near the shoreline.

There's a storm coming from
the lake, and they've issued

tornado warnings for another
storm coming up from the south.

You should go on home.

What about them?

What are we gonna do?

Just get them out of here.

Okay, go on.

Get outta here.

Just make sure you're on Mitch
Benson's face when I tell him.

Sir,

are you sure you want to
override the system controller?

No, I don't.

But I don't have another role.

This is our option and I
think this is going to work.

If we come back online out of
phase, you'll cook the generators.

Sir, we could melt
down the entire grid.

Damn it, I know the risk!

Alright, get all your
operators out of here.

I'm going to sink
the units by myself.

Go!

Now!

Everybody out!

Out!

We're at 75%.

It shouldn't be long now.

Okay, I'm going
to go get my family.

Alright, listen up everybody.

You're doing a great job.

When this storm hits, I want
everybody down in the shelter.

This weather system
is unlike anything we've

seen before and it's
going to hit us hard.

So no heroics.

I want to see every one of
your faces when this is over.

Good luck.

Thanks.

Listen, I just... Don't say it.

I...

I just feel badly that
we hurt another person.

I'd like to leave it at that.

Mitch, you need to hear this.

We're in the middle of a crisis.

I will have a press
conference when all this is over.

I don't have time to
talk to you right now.

We just came from the Southside substation
where Dan London is erasing the virus.

What?

He's been the hacker all along.

He did it to prove how
vulnerable the system is.

What are you talking about?

Dan London created a
virus to disable the system.

As we speak, he's erasing it
and turning the power back on.

Shut down all the lines.

Tell Pacific to
stop transmission.

Just trip the circuits
manually if you have to.

What?

What is it?

They're already
receiving emergency

transmissions from the
Western Interconnect.

If he doesn't realize we're at full
capacity, he brings up all these lines out

of sequence and he's going to
blow the entire grid to Kingdom Come.

Mitch.

What?

It's your wife.

Jane?

The Northwest Artery
just came online.

Mitch.

What is it?

I'm at the North Avenue Mall.

Garth and Lindsay are with me.

It's him.

The whole corridor is coming up.

What's wrong?

Garth is okay.

But Lindsay's been shot.

Shot?

By a gun?

She's lost some blood,
but I think she's stable.

Listen, all the hospitals are closed
and things are incredibly chaotic.

Where can we go?

Where can we go?

She needs help.

I'm going to come get you.

Stay where you are
and I'll be right there.

I'm going to get you
and bring you back here.

The shelter here is the
safest place in the city.

I'll be right there.

Mitch, the Interconnect
manager's flipping out.

The lines, the transformers, the
substations, they're all overloading.

The stogan.

Good save.

Good save.

God, Jason, what have I done?

It's not your fault.

I talked him into it.

Because you thought you
were doing the right thing.

Or was I just going
after the great story?

Yeah, I'm sorry.

Thanks.

Mitch, the garage
is locked down.

You can't get your car out.

Mitch, our van is out front.

We'll take you.

All right.

I'm going to make a phone call.

Getting started.

Well, Mr. President, I'm just glad
we were on the same side for once.

But I'm still opposed
to deregulation.

And even though I'm
willing to agree to disagree,

I'm determined to
keep this debate alive.

Yes, sir.

I'll keep you posted.

Something's happening with
the transmissions to Chicago.

They just lost power again,
and so did Detroit and Cleveland.

Some kind of chain
reaction is going on.

My only regret is that you ain't here
riding shotgun with me, old buddy.

Tommy, this is a lot bigger
than anyone ever expected.

Just turn around
and get out of there.

Oh, come on.

You're just jealous
because it's me here, not you.

I got twins over Chicago, Andy.

Two giant beasts
marching to the same drum.

Tommy, listen to me.

You've already got
great stuff, all right?

It's not worth it anymore.

Get out of there.

I got triplets!

I got triplets!

Tommy, listen to me.

Tommy, nobody's
ever seen three before.

What's happening, isn't it?

A nightmare scenario.

Two monster storms colliding
right over the city of Chicago.

Faster in this city than Jason.

Her cell service is out again.

Lauren's a strong person.

She'll be making
the right choices.

Well, what choices does she have
when she's trapped in an elevator?

This thing's going to hit so
hard, all those old buildings

are going to be ripped
down to their foundations.

Jeff!

You know, I'm sure
Jeff called Amy.

She'll call the Marines
to get us out of here.

You know, she and I rode
up in this elevator together.

She reminds me of my daughter.

I really do miss her.

There's no shame in that.

She keeps asking me
to come live with her.

You should.

You know, you could
still do your art in London.

Yeah, but, uh, I still
have to stay independent.

Well, living with someone doesn't
make you dependent on them.

It just means being closer
to someone that you love.

What

are you not telling me?

How many customers
without power?

Conservative
estimate, 35 million.

Can they stop it from
spreading further?

That could impact every grid
in the country, except Texas.

It was a calculated risk.

Calculated or not, it
happened on my watch.

Gareth, keep
pressure on this, okay?

All right.

A lot of pressure.

I can't believe
you made it here.

Don't talk.

You need your energy.

That's a new way to say shut up.

All right, then.

Shut up.

My husband's on his way here.

If you could help me
move my daughter out

into the mall, you can
go home to your family.

I want to help.

Let me help.

We could use some bandages.

It stood up to almost
a century of big storms.

But I wonder how
old those cables are.

I don't remember seeing them
being replaced in the last 20 years.

Oh, my God, what
if they gave way?

Okay, now you're
freaking yourself out.

Between the first and second
floor, that would be a 20-foot fall.

Okay, now you're
freaking me out.

Okay, all right, what
am I talking about?

This is a very, very
sturdy old building.

Oh, get them coming,
sweetie, get them coming.

I've seen a lot of storms, but I've
never seen anything like this before.

We are not going to worry.

Amy is going to
come, just like you said.

What if we die in here?

Laura, stop it!

Right here.

I'm sorry.

It's okay, it's okay.

We're fine.

Go home to your kids.

It's really starting to hurt.

I'm so sorry.

I'm so sorry, honey.

Dad should be here any minute.

Well, what if he
doesn't make it?

He'll be here.

He'll be here.

Remember, there's a
pharmacy over on the other side.

Okay.

All right.

Let's get you bandaged.

Where the hell's the bank?

I think it's upstairs.

Jane!

Jane!

Here.

Take two of these.

There.

Here.

We can't wait for your dad.

But we're safe here.

We've got this.

We've got to get it to a doctor.

Laura!

Jane!

Go.

Go.

It's okay.

It's okay.

Dad's here.

Dad!

Dad!

Where's your mom?

They're down by the bank.

Come on.

Hey, honey.

Dad's here now.

We're gonna get
you some help, okay?

It's a little better now.

I'm so sorry.

Let's get her out of here.

Yeah, Jason.

Give me some help here.

Yeah, sure.

Just leave it, sweetie.

It's all right.

It's all right.

It's all right.

Let's go, honey.

I can't wait.

Just take anything.

Don't do the fastest.

We should try to hurry a little.

Okay, everybody.

I got you now.

I'll be right back.

Amy.

Thank God I got through to you.

Oh, my God.

Jack?

Where are you?

Not far from there.

Listen, Laura's stuck in
the elevator in our building.

No!

Her suitcase was gone!

I was there!

She went to her parents!

No, she got stuck when
the power went out.

I need you to go get her
and take her to the hospital.

All the doctors and
nurses have evacuated!

The hospitals are down!

What?

Is she having a baby?

She's feeling labor pains.

I mean, it could
happen any minute now.

Okay.

Okay, listen to me.

I need you to go get
her and then stay by your

phone and I'll call you
back to coordinate, okay?

But we're day one!

I'm gonna land and
try to pick you guys up.

I'll call you later.

This is getting worse.

It's turned into a category six.

I hope the ones who didn't
get out made it into shelters.

Yeah, nuclear fallout shelters.

Come on, Tommy.

Come on, answer the phone.

Come on.

Come on, Tommy.

Pick it up.

Pick it up.

Pick it up.

Jeff, your sister
will come through.

Yeah, but we'll be too late.

Look, I know this is
crazy, but his plan is to fly

down through the eye of
the storm and pick us up.

There's a medic on his crew.

We've got to do it, Mitch!

Look out!

Where's the building?

Out in three blocks!

Dad, look out!

What a story to tell your
boy when he gets older.

Um, you thought of a name yet?

We were gonna call him Storm.

Seriously?

We wanted it to be unique.

Yes, Storm is unique.

And his dad is a storm chaser.

You know my husband?

His name was Lorenzo.

I always loved that name.

It's all, um...

Poetic?

Poetic, yeah.

Okay, that's it.

Time to leave now.

Everyone get down
to the basement.

Let's go.

That means everyone.

Amy?

You out there?

Look, if you can hear
me, everyone that's still

here has gone down to the
basement to wait this out.

So you and Jason
just get to safety.

I'll meet you inside.

But the garage is
around the corner!

You know what?

They're stuck between
this far and the next one.

Morris, hurry!

Jason, go see what you can find.

Okay.

You guys stay here.

I'm gonna go see if I can help.

I'll come too.

No, stay with your mom!

Hang in there, honey.

I'll be right back.

Are you okay?

I'm trying to be.

If we're gonna make it
through this, I swear we will.

You'll be okay.

Okay.

I'll be right back.

Okay.

I couldn't find anything!

How long do you think it'll be?

Oh, it shouldn't be too
much longer, sweetie.

What if they can't get her out?

Will we miss the plane?

It's okay.

It's okay.

Honey, your dad is
gonna get us on that plane.

He's not working!

Behind the sixth floor!

There's something
wrong with that door!

It might be easier to open!

Okay, go, go!

I'll be here.

Okay, everybody, listen up.

McCormick Field is a small
abandoned military airport.

6,000 feet of
continuous asphalt.

My calculation is we'd have
between 16 and 18 minutes of calm air.

That's not much.

But it's your wife.

Okay, recheck the calculations.

I've only got one minute.

I've only got one
shot at missing her.

All right, I'll climb down, and
you meet me down... No, man.

Okay?

You got a family.

I'll climb down.

All right, I'll meet
you downstairs.

Be careful!

I will.

Is he okay?

I think so!

I'm gonna go help Matt.

No!

Stay!

They'll be back soon!

Are you all right?

No!

I think I broke my leg!

Jason fell!

He's on top of the elevator!

He's hurt!

There's a door release
switch on the wall over there!

Do you think you can
make it over there?

I'll try!

You're almost there!

Take it.

I have control.

Hello?

Hello?

This is Jeff Harkin.

Okay listen.

Amy, Jason, and my husband,
Mitchell You and your coach

have gone up to get your
wife out of the elevator.

You don't know if
they found her yet?

No, but they've been
gone about 30 minutes.

You're okay.

Thank you.

Okay, we're preparing
to dive through the eye.

We're going to be landing at a
place called McCormick Field.

Okay, I know where that is.

How much time do we have?

Dad!

Mom talked to that pilot.

He said that we have to
meet him in 27 minutes.

And that was two minutes ago.

Meet him where?

A small airport
outside the city.

He said the timing
has to be perfect.

Look, we're never going to get
him out of there in 27 minutes.

You guys got to go.

What about you?

I can't leave him.

Hey, Laura, we got to go.

Come on.

Laura, I'm fine, okay?

You are going to be fine.

So is the baby.

I love you.

Tell Jeff I love him.

Go!

Helen, come.

No, I can help her get him out.

I've got tools in my studio.

You can't do it by yourself.

Please, Helen.

Please.

Please.

No, it's okay.

It's okay.

I'm going to be fine.

It's okay.

It's okay.

You're going to have
your baby, all right?

I've opened the door.

Go for Lorenzo.

Don't forget.

Okay, go, go, go, go.

Okay, come on.

Let's go.

Hang on, James.

We're coming to get you.

Cover yourself up
with these, okay?

Use them to protect yourself.

When the power was back
on, thousands of people

that were trapped and
stranded got rescued.

And a large part of that
population got information

on the storm that gave
them time to find shelter.

Thank you for trying
to make me feel better.

Is it working?

No.

The outages have
spread to the west.

California, Oregon, Washington.

They're going all
over the country.

That's not your fault.

The press will need
someone to focus blame on.

You oppose the energy bill.

You've been outspoken
on condemning the

dismantling of the EPA
and the Clean Air Act.

If I was so opposed to those
policies, why didn't I just quit?

Because you thought you could do
more good on the inside than the outside.

I can see it now.

During the Great American
Blackout, Secretary of Energy

Abbott sat in her office and
watched the lights go out.

This old bird's going to
show us what she's made of.

She's never been through
anything this intense.

What you're reading on the eye should be
breaking through in the next few minutes.

Roger that.

Mitch!

We've got to hurry!

I can't see anything!

Okay.

How are we going to do this?

We're going to unscrew the bolt.

Open the grate
and help him down.

Find something to pry it loose!

I'm not going to tell
you to hurry, huh?

Yeah.

Hi.

I'm not going to tell you this.

This whole thing's about to
come crashing down, either.

Yeah, I appreciate that.

We made it.

To the eye.

We still have to land, take off,
and fly back through it all over again.

Ed.

Look.

We're in the eye.

We've only got 14 minutes.

Come on, let's go!

Listen.

Why didn't you go with them?

Think the best damn
cameraman I ever had?

I don't think so.

You see the landing strip?

It's got to be down
there somewhere.

And if I don't find it, we'll land
on the Dan Ryan Expressway.

Dan, I don't see it.

It's not here.

It's okay.

Just get the gate.

There she is.

All right.

Prepare for landing.

Flaps 30?

Flaps 30.

Gear down?

Gear down.

And three in the green.

Dad, look!

It's coming!

It's coming!

Come on!

Almost there, you guys.

Hang on.

Let's get off.

Where's Amy?

Jason got trapped
in the elevator.

What?

She wouldn't leave him.

Oh, God.

The back side of the storm's going
to have the strongest winds yet.

You know your sister.

We tried.

30 seconds!

Damn it, Amy.

We're going to need
you to slide off, and

we're going to help you
down the ladder, okay?

Okay.

Here I go.

Here we go.

Yep.

See?

Okay, sweetie.

We're almost there.

Oh, take it easy.

All right.

Mitch?

It's all right.

Check on Laura.

You okay?

Yeah.

Okay.

Hang in there, sweetheart.

We're almost there.

Almost there.

How much time between them?

Not enough.

Here you go.

Thanks.

Deliver with your first.

At least you'll stay
12 hours or longer.

My aunt delivered her baby
in a taxi on the way to hospital.

Oh!

Oh!

8,500 feet.

Wind velocity is 157 knots.

Okay.

All right?

Yeah.

You okay?

I

just got to pray this thing
doesn't collapse on us.

I haven't prayed in a long
while, but it is time to start again.

This is Dash 7.

53rd Weather Recon
Squadron to Zachary Air Base.

Zachary, do you copy?

Copy.

We have two emergency
medical cases on board.

Not crew.

I repeat, not crew.

One is my wife,
and she is pregnant.

And we need a base
obstetrician standing by.

The other is a teenage
girl with a gunshot wound.

We left the camera in the car.

Yeah.

I know, Chase.

I know.

Well, how are we
going to tell the story?

We'll get out of here.

We're just...

We're just going to
have to find those tapes.

And if we don't...

find the tapes?

We're going to tell
the story anyway.

The world needs to know.

And we owe it to Dan to let people
know he was trying to do the right thing.

Everybody, Jeff says we're going
to be there in just about five minutes.

So just hang on.

We're almost there.

It's okay.

He'll be there soon.

Keep thinking about Amy.

Yeah, well, if there's one thing I know
about your sister-in-law, she's a survivor.

She's going to be all right.

When we first met in the elevator,
sorry if I seemed a little angry.

Yeah, what was that about?

I was furious with the owner,
making us buy our units.

I can't afford mine.

But I should have told you.

I really admire your work.

You ask the tough questions.

Well, I try.

I think you are right.

You're really brave.

Well, that's the best compliment
I've gotten in a long time.

I don't think you need to
worry about buying your unit.

Doesn't sound like there's
going to be much of it left.

Well, it doesn't matter anymore.

I've come to a decision.

I'm going to move to London.

Guys, this is my daughter.

She's got a gunshot wound
and she's lost a lot of blood.

It's all right.

It's going to be all right now.

It's going to be all right now.

Okay.

Can we go?

Let's grab that.

Let's grab that.

Up.

They're not going to have an
accurate casualty figure for weeks.

You know, Andy, watching
you these last few weeks,

I'm not sure I can do
the job without you here.

Well, thanks.

I hope you pass that
along to the brass up in D.C.

I intend to.

How do you feel about
staying on as a consultant?

Oh, I appreciate that.

My first piece of advice
would be to hire her.

Sabrina Rogers.

You want a full-time job?

When do I start?

Oh, look.

Mama's awake.

I think we should
move to California.

They have earthquakes.

You can handle it?

Yeah.

I wonder what kind of world
he's going to grow up in.

Hey, baby.

How you doing?

I'm feeling better.

You look great.

I'm so happy to see
you two together.

Well, I think, uh...

I think we're all
going to be okay.

Okay.

Hey, isn't it great to see me?

Yes, nerd boy.

It's even great to see you.

Hey.

Hey.

I'd like you all to
meet Jeffrey Harkin, Jr.

He wouldn't be here if
it weren't for you guys.

Neither would we
if it weren't for you.

Hi.

Hello.

I met with the president.

What did he say?

Well, I think I finally
got his attention.

Did he ask you to step down?

No.

Actually, he asked me
to stand side by side

with him as we build
the system back up again.

If I were a cynic, I'd say he
knows how exposed he'd be if

you quit and then told the
world about his lack of attention.

And thus we come
to my fork in the road.

Path number one, I
stay a team player.

Path number two, I become a former
cabinet member turned outspoken critic.

But he has to listen to you now.

And if he doesn't, then you
can always jump to path two.

You know, there'll be congressional
hearings and reviews and investigations.

And I'll be trotting up to Capitol
Hill to testify at least once a week.

Everyone will finally realize that
you were the lone voice of reason.

I guess I knew the
wake-up call was coming.

But did it have to come
at such a high cost?

Yeah, Walt, I can hear you.

Come on now, you're not going to want
me to do some soft aftermath piece, right?

No.

This is something that
people need to hear.

This is your story.

So just run with it.

You ready?

Yeah.

I'm on Western Avenue, where we have blue
skies, calm winds, and temperatures under

80 degrees for the
first time in two months.

But Chicago's problems
are far from over.

Municipal power plants
have been destroyed.

City services decimated.

All around me,
wreckage and devastation.

No one was prepared for
destruction of this magnitude.

But I have to tell you that during
the storm, I personally witnessed

extraordinary acts of bravery
and sacrifice by ordinary people.

When the storm was at its worst, it brought
out the best in the citizens of Chicago.

One man in particular
deserves to have his story told.

Dan London was a systems operator
employed by the Lexer Corporation.

He knew something was wrong.

That shortcuts taken by his company
had put the entire power system at risk.

He was willing to
sacrifice his own life.

Trying to reverse the damage
he inadvertently caused.

I don't condone what he did.

But I dedicate this
broadcast to him.

For now, the people
of this wounded nation

need to pick themselves
up and move forward.

We need to work together.

And this time, we can
and must build it better.