X-Men: The New Age

INT. RUSSIAN UNDERGROUND FACILITY - NIGHT

The room is dark, faint light around the place, just enough to illuminate the metal skin of Colossus. His eyes have a faint glow to them.

Nightcrawler is in the area, looking around from a higher position, clinging against the wall.

Colossus senses for any kind of radiation or something suspicious. He comes to an area with containers, the covers are made of glass, with a bit of frost on the inside and surface. But they aren’t activated, they are empty.

The place has been kept up, but nothing looks like it’s been in use. Nightcrawler teleports to different rooms, all seem kept up, but empty. Not recently in use.

Last, he hangs from a small beam on the ceiling, upside down, looking over Colossus’ head. He lands upright, shaking his head to say, “nothing suspicious has been found.”

Colossus pauses, with an uneasy feeling in his gut, but without proof, any charges against the Russian government will be dismissed.

An angry frown comes over his metal face, he turns back to Nightcrawler who dismissed his own frustrations.

Nightcrawler puts his hand on Colossus’ shoulder and they teleport out of the facility.

INT. NEW YORK CONDO – BEDROOM - NIGHT

Cyclops and Jean Grey lay in bed in the middle of the night. Cyclops holds Jean in his arms, but she is not facing him. They both wonder if the other is falling asleep, but neither of them can sleep.

They’ve been laying there awake for almost two hours. Eyes open, staring into “space” disgusted by the reason why they can’t sleep. Finally, they want to break the silence.

JEAN GREY I know.

CYCLOPS I can’t do this anymore.

JEAN GREY Me either.

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CYCLOPS I don’t want to lead people into anymore battles.

JEAN GREY I don’t want you to.

CYCLOPS I want a family, a life of my own.

JEAN GREY So do I.

CYCLOPS You’re pregnant! (pause) I’m going to be a father. (pause) I can’t risk my life like I used to, I have to be here for the baby.

JEAN GREY So, why are we still awake?

Cyclops lets go of Jean, turns over, slams his arm on a pillow and sits up on the edge of the bed.

CYCLOPS Because, I’m an X-Man.

INT. WASHINGTON D.C. – OFFICE SUITE - NIGHT

PRESIDENT-ELECT JIM SLADE sits around with his staff, including STEVE BECK, STAN WEAVER, and his girlfriend, JESSICA MILLER. They watch TV tracking the progress of early ballot voting.

SLADE (drink in hand) We look pretty good, gentlemen.

STEVE We still want to be cautious, Mr. Slade. These numbers could shift, depending on how many voters will wait until election day to cast their vote.

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SLADE You worry too much, Steve. We’ve seen the trend already! My opponent has an unpopular stand against mutants and the people who support them. He’s tried to hide it and the public isn’t buying it. The truth actually works sometimes!

STEVE I know, sir. I’m simply saying, this isn’t over.

SLADE It will be in a couple of days.

Jessica waves him off.

JESSICA Don’t mind him, Steve. He just wants to hide his nerves. He’s as anxious as the rest of us.

SLADE I have a right to be anxious. I feel like I’ve waited all of my life for this. And here it is, two days away. (they kiss) (to Steve) Come on, we’ve still got work to do.

STEVE (big grin) Yes, sir!

FOYER AREA

As Jim Slade and Steve Beck walk towards the door, the Secretary, Kim Nadar, walks in.

KIM NADAR Excuse me, Mr. Slade, have you seen Mr. Rosenburg?

SLADE Kim, hi. I talked to him the night before last. He’s swamped. I don’t want to interrupt the terrific job he’s doing.

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Silence.

KIM NADAR I haven’t been able to get a hold of him.

STEVE Really? (pause) Come to think of it, he hasn’t called me in a while. That’s not like him.

SLADE Yes, well, we’ve all been so busy, running around, tying loose ends. You’re concerned?

KIM NADAR “Very” concerned sir! I don’t understand why he hasn’t called. No text message or e-mails. It’s not like him at all.

STEVE Do you think we should call the police, sir?

SLADE (pause) No. Not yet.

KIM NADAR But sir --

SLADE -- If we tell the public Rosenburg is missing, there will be a panic. No one would come to the polls, not in the numbers we need.

They think for a moment.

STEVE I can call Xavier.

SLADE No, not this time. The government is keeping tabs on them. Any move they make will let everyone else know something’s wrong. We have to keep this quiet.

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STEVE How?

SLADE Get our own people on this. Now. We have less than 48 hours to get to the bottom of this.

Jessica gets up off the couch as she notices the conference going on longer than usual.

JESSICA Is something wrong?

SLADE No, honey. We just need to hammer more details out.

JESSICA What’s wrong? (to Kim) Kim...

KIM NADAR I just...

SLADE (to Jessica) Honey, please, I need to talk to my staff right now.

JESSICA No! No, you are not pushing me out right now. I told you we are in this together ‘til the end.

SLADE I know, I know, but I need time to - -

JESSICA -- It’s going to come back to me anyway and you know it. So, tell me now.

STAN (comes over) Hey, what’s up?

Now they all notice the room has quieted, everyone has turned to look at them. Jim Slade knows he has to say something, but not "everything."

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SLADE Everybody, Kim has brought a situation to my attention.

STAN What “situation”?

SLADE (holds his hand up) Please, I am going to take care of this my way. And we’ll resume with all the planned events, nothing has changed. Everybody understand?

Everyone voices their approval.

STAN So, you’re saying, everything’s okay?

SLADE (pause) Yes.

Jim Slade, Jessica Miller, Steve Beck, and Kim Nadar walk out the door.

OFFICE AREA

Stan Weaver comes to the group including DENISE COLEMAN, TYLER WILLIAMS, KENT TAYLOR, and JOAN CARTER, still huddled near the TV.

STAN Something bad has happened, I know it. He’s not telling us.

DENISE COLEMAN They’d postpone the election and we’d lose too many voters.

STAN I think we should call Charles Xavier.

TYLER WILLIAMS You can't be serious! You don't even know what's going on, "if" anything.

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Silence.

KENT Jim had that look on his face, Kim as well. I know them well enough to know this is big. But what?

STAN I wonder if Allan knows anything about this.

DENISE COLEMAN I, I’m trying to call him now. (waiting on the phone) He’s not picking up.

JOAN Maybe that’s why Kim came over here. She usually doesn’t come out here.

Silence. Then everyone jumps up to rush out the door.

STAN Wait a minute!

TYLER WILLIAMS We have to look for him --

STAN -- People are watching us.

The group slows at the thought.

JOAN (hangs up the cell) I still can’t get him on the phone. If he’s missing, we need to know what happened as soon as possible!

STAN I agree, but if we... That’s what Jim meant by --

DENISE -- handling it his way. He doesn’t want the police or the X-Men involved, a war will break out!

KENT If an anti-mutant organization got a hold of Rosenburg, the war has already begun.

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Silence.

KENT It’s just a matter of time before everyone else knows about it.

TYLER WILLIAMS Cancel the election?

STAN We’ve spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on this campaign. We are less than 48 hours from the election. I’m not canceling anything! We have to --

-- There is a pounding at the door. They all pause.

DENISE Check the camera monitor!

KENT It’s...

Stan runs to the door, opens it, Allan Rosenburg stumbles in and falls to the floor.

STAN Allan! What happened to you?!

ROSENBURG I, I was attacked by, some type of mutant killers. Professional. They, they knew how to contain my mutant ability...

JOAN Call for an ambulance!

ROSENBURG No! Call Thompson. He has the equipment to regenerate my energy. Call him.

INT. WASHINGTON D.C. - CONFERENCE ROOM – NIGHT

Jim Slade, Jessica Miller, Steve Beck, and Kim Nadar sit in a conference room looking at monitors setup in the room. Each one shows the face of the leading organizer for the campaign waiting to hear what Jim Slade has to say.

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SLADE I know it’s late, especially for you on the east coast. But I had to let all of you know --

JESSICA (to Slade) -- Honey, I got a message!

SLADE What?

JESSICA Look!

Jim Slade grabs his phone on his side and reads the incoming message.

(TEXT MESSAGE) “We found Allan Rosenburg. In bad shape, but recovering at Dr. Thompson’s facilities, in critical, but stable, condition.”

Jim sits in shock for a while, then a sense of relief comes over him.

SLADE I am so sorry everyone --

SCREEN #1 -- Is there a problem, Mr. Slade?

SLADE Honestly, I thought there was a very serious problem, but, it will be okay now.

SCREEN #5 Are you sure?

SLADE Everyone get some rest.

INT. RUSSIA – COLOSSUS’ HOME – DAY

Nightcrawler and Colossus are thinking about their last trip, investigating the interior of the Russian military medical base on diagrams. One section is circled, found deep beneath the surface.

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COLOSSUS I cannot get this off of my mind, Kurt. There has to be another area we missed.

NIGHTCRAWLER I searched as far as I could as fast as I could Piotr, and found nothing.

COLOSSUS This area is not supposed to be here! It’s hundreds of feet below ground, not registered with the U.N.

NIGHTCRAWLER It would not be uncommon for any country to keep a little part of their government operations secret.

COLOSSUS At a time such as this, they should not!

A laptop BUZZES and Colossus walks over, opens it up, to see a Live Feed from America.

PROFESSOR XAVIER Hello, Piotr, Kurt. I wanted to check on you.

NIGHTCRAWLER Hello, Professor.

PROFESSOR XAVIER You both must realize, we are no longer X-Men.

COLOSSUS We needed to know whether or not they are hiding something. I needed to know.

PROFESSOR XAVIER But Piotr, at what cost?! You should not risk the peace of mutants and mankind on a gut feeling.

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NIGHTCRAWLER They have a medical facility underground, deep beneath the surface.

PROFESSOR XAVIER What did you find?

NIGHTCRAWLER Nothing out of the ordinary --

COLOSSUS -- No chemicals, no weapons, nothing setup for experiments on people or mutants. But why, why do they need this place? It cannot be there for no reason at all.

PROFESSOR XAVIER I agree. (pause) However, there is no proof of the Russian government being involved with illegal activities.

NIGHTCRAWLER I feel Piotr is right. Perhaps they knew we were coming, or finished the project before we arrived.

PROFESSOR XAVIER If you would have been discovered, we would have been blamed for starting the war all over again --

COLOSSUS -- If we waited too long it would have cost us much more.

PROFESSOR XAVIER Be patient, Piotr. If there is a threat, they have to make the first move. I don’t want to give our opposition any reason to blame mutants.

NIGHTCRAWLER There’s nothing else we can do now, but to trust that peace will prevail.

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INT. WASHINGTON D.C. – PATIENT AREA

This is a private medical facility specifically for mutants. Jim Slade and DR. JAMES THOMPSON look through a clear wall at Allan Rosenburg's recovery progress.

SLADE How is he?

DR. THOMPSON He took a massive jolt to his entire system. Despite the condition he came in, he should recover pretty well.

They walk closer to the clear wall, looking through it at the case containing Allan Rosenburg.

DR. THOMPSON He helped us design the technology to harness his power. Enough was stored here in case of an emergency such as this. We never thought we’d use it, however.

SLADE How much time will it take for him to recover?

DR. THOMPSON Once his strength is regenerated, he’ll be back to normal within a few hours. I do want to keep him longer to make sure he’s emotionally stable more than anything else. (pause) He’s been through a traumatic experience.

SLADE They tried to kill him.

DR. THOMPSON Yes, surprisingly though, whoever they are, they believed they killed him.

SLADE He came back to life?

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DR. THOMPSON In a way, they must have used a high-powered concussion blast, which knocked him out. All of his systems failed. However, our readings show he expelled much of his energy before he was hit. His energy is designed to recharge itself once it reaches a low level or is suddenly extinguished.

SLADE So, he was practically dead before they shot him.

DR. THOMPSON Precisely. Counting on his energy to do its job though, because of the concussion blast, it took a lot longer for him to regenerate. Most likely, he had no pulse, his captors assumed he was dead.

SLADE What type of weapon could harm a mutant like Allan? I thought he was almost invincible!

DR. THOMPSON True. But this is the most puzzling aspect of all. They had the ability to capture him and nearly kill him with energy or a weapon we have no knowledge of. In his previous battles, no one stood a chance against him. Perhaps...

Dr. Thompson seems lost in thought.

SLADE Perhaps what?

DR. THOMPSON We’re still testing this theory, but perhaps a similar energy to Allan’s was used against him. A more powerful substance, too much for him to handle at one time.

SLADE But, where would anyone get energy like that from?

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DR. THOMPSON That is the question you have to find the answer to.

Jim Slade gives a sigh.

The patient room fills with the staff and Jessica, all taking a look at Allan in the case to make sure he’s alright.

DR. THOMPSON Go and talk to him, Jim. He needs to see you.

SLADE What do the readings on those monitors mean?

DR. THOMPSON Oh, well, my goodness, remarkable --

SLADE -- Good news?

DR. THOMPSON Over sixty percent of his energy is already regenerated. His systems have stabilized, although his heart rate is a bit high, everything seems normal from here.

SLADE He’s going to want to leave once he’s fully recovered.

DR. THOMPSON That concerns me the most. You must keep him calm, at least until the election is over. I imagine he wants to look for the people who did this to him.

Jim walks towards the entrance into the room.

SLADE And we don’t need any ripples in the water.

DR. THOMPSON Go on, I have to give these stats to the nurses.

SLADE Hey, thank you.

72.

They shake hands and give a brief one arm hug with mutual admiration.

PATIENT ROOM

Jim Slade walks into the room and everyone turns to him.

SLADE How is he?

JESSICA They said, physically, he’s going to be fine. He’s a fighter.

ROSENBURG (whisper) Jim?

SLADE Did he say something?

ROSENBURG (whisper) I want to go home.

SLADE Allan!

ROSENBURG After we win the election.

SLADE Get some rest, my friend. We’re almost there.

ROSENBURG You have to find them. You have to - -

SLADE -- We have people on it, but it could be anyone from any country. There’s not enough time to narrow it down.

The case lights up momentarily and everyone steps back quickly.

ROSENBURG Then we have to get to as many election centers around the globe as possible. Increase the security. Call on other mutants to help the National Guard.

73.

SLADE Kim already sent out the information.

The case briefly lights up and charges go over Allan Rosenburg’s body. The monitor reads 68%.

ROSENBURG I’ll be in place, Jim.

SLADE I don’t want to --

ROSENBURG -- I’ll be there!

SLADE You call me. (to everyone) We all keep in touch, everybody lay low and stick together! (pause) Security is outside, you will all be escorted to your offices, including your homes. No one deviate from the plan.

Everyone agrees.

SLADE (eyes watery) Thank you, everyone, for the sacrifices you’ve made, for me, for man and mutant-kind alike. This is our legacy. We are at the dawn of a new age, where humans and mutants will begin to live together in harmony for the rest of time.

Jim Slade takes Jessica’s hand and walks out the door. Everyone begins to follow exchanging nods of assurance to one another. The case containing Allan Rosenburg begins to glow steadily with his energy. Election day has begun. It’s midnight.

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INT. CEREBRO - MIDNIGHT

The room has a faint glow of dark blue light. Charles Xavier sits in the shadows, hands on his helmet, connected to Cerebro. He uses his telepathy to speak.

PROFESSOR XAVIER X-Men...

The X-Men, in various locations around the globe, stop in their tracks, all acknowledging they are listening.

PROFESSOR XAVIER I know you have not been able to rest. I am as nervous as you are. I have imagined this day for many years, but never truly witnessed it happen in reality. Let us make our vote today, be the most important battle we have ever won. Without a shot being fired, we will win the victory we’ve always fought for. Go my friends, enjoy this day. It will change the course of history. I love you all.

The connection breaks as Professor Xavier lifts the helmet off of his head.

Each X-Man, in his own house, takes a proud stand. Some shed tears, while others grow tense, focused.

Professor Xavier sits in front of Cerebro, head in his hands, crying. Sadness and joy overcomes him.

NEW YORK CITY

Jean and Scott stand in their bedroom in each others arms as the moonlight comes through their condo’s patio door curtains.

RUSSIA

Nightcrawler sits still in a den, while Colossus stands nearby, stone cold, staring out a window.

LOUISIANA

Gambit and Rogue are at a park. Rogue sits normally on the bench while Gambit sits up on the back rest next to her. Silent, but feeling the same emotions.

75.

AFRICA

Storm stands in the midst of high plains, gazing at the sky, the wind blowing her hair and flowing outfit in a delicate manner.

WASHINGTON D.C.

Beast looks over his medical lab, picking up tubes here and there, checking sanitation, though his thoughts are on the election, mind wandering, teary-eyed.

ShadowCat stands on her balcony overlooking the city, hands on the rail, thinking about the day ahead.

CHICAGO

Archangel stands on top of a skyscraper, his metal wings illuminating in areas, night-time traffic driving by below. He looks down at a voting center, a determined, resolved look on his face.

ENGLAND

Betsy Braddock is in a gym, which is apart of her home in London, kicking and punching away at a bag while throwing psychic knives at targets around the room. Suddenly, she stops, falls to her knees, wanting to hold back tears that seem to ignore her request.

THE ARCTIC

Iceman sits in the sun, atop a mountain, sunlight bounces off of his ice-covered body.

MICHIGAN

Jubilee lies in her bed holding a colorful energy blast in her hand, looking out her bedroom window at the full moon above, a determined look on her face.

EXT. CANADA – WOOD CABIN – NIGHT

The area is covered with snow.

INT. WOOD CABIN - LIVING ROOM

His expression is full of thoughts, from relief to concern to disbelief. Wolverine sits in his cabin looking through old books he collected and his favorite swords on the wall. He spends time shining his favorite one and carefully placing it back on the stand. He turns to look at the news coverage of the coming event, the election of the century.

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BEDROOM

A faint smile, he walks into his room to try to get some rest. Wolverine’s room goes dark as he blows the candle out.

INT. U.S. - VARIOUS PLACES - DAY

Televisions are on across the nation. Inside diners, homes, business offices, all turned to the news talking about the election’s turn-out so far.

INT. NEWS STATION - WASHINGTON D.C.

An ANCHOR, Robert, speaks to KATIE LEE, a reporter, about the events taking place.

ANCHOR

We have an all-time turn-out record being set as we speak. From Maine to Florida to California to the state of Washington. Mutants and humans are gathering hours before the polls open in most states to make one of the most important votes, some say, in U.S. History. We have our correspondent, Katie Lee, on the scene in Washington D.C. with the latest report. Katie.

EXT. WASHINGTON D.C. VOTING CENTER - DAY

Katie Lee stands along side a long line of crowds.

KATIE Thank you, Robert. As you can see, the lines already stretch out for blocks as many have slept here, in front of the voting center, overnight. Of course, the National Guard has been on the scene, just in case any type of violence breaks out. But people seem to be in great spirits calling this a new beginning for human and mutant relations.

NEWS STATION

ANCHOR Katie, how many people have you spoken to so far?

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WASHINGTON D.C. VOTING CENTER

KATIE Actually, most want to be on camera to say “Hi” to their relatives, but more importantly, to say they stand for the cause of equality for humans and mutants. As you can hear behind me, they are very excited to finally vote on this issue in less than an hour. (pause, she turns to look at the crowd) I’ll get one of these gentlemen on air for us. (to Voter) Excuse me, sir?

VOTER Hey, it’s Katie Lee!

KATIE Yes, can you tell our viewers about your feelings on the votes your about to make?

VOTER I’ve been watching the situation between mutants and humans for over ten years and I think mutants are just like people. You have your good ones and bad ones, and I don’t think the good ones should be punished because of the few bad apples. That’s why I’m voting for Jim Slade.

KATIE Thank you. (to Voter #2) What about you, ma’am?

VOTER #2 A mutant actually saved my life a couple of years ago. I was in a bad car accident and they took me to the hospital faster than any ambulance could. That’s when my heart started to change towards them. I’m trying to be more accepting now. I don’t think Vincent Smith represents that.

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KATIE That is a great story, thank you, ma’am. (to the camera) Well Robert, the crowd here seems to fall in line with the polls, which is good news for Jim Slade and mutant-kind. Reporting from Washington D.C., back to you.

INT. NEWS STATION

ANCHOR Thank you, Katie. I know, we’ve gone over this time and again, but today is finally the day. So, bear with us a few hours longer. On the ballots, everyone, humans and mutants, will vote for the next President of the United States “and” the final verdict will be made on the Mutant Control Agency, which has been abandoned for three years now. When some of the Congressmen on Capitol Hill expressed restarting the program, it backfired on them. States voted to give mutants the right to vote, and now, for the first time in history, the mutant race will openly help elect our next President.

The Anchor turns to his guest, CHRIS BAKER and LUKE TOWNSEND to talk about the event.

ANCHOR We have two guests this morning. Both have been with us periodically throughout this process. Chris Baker, long time coordinator for the Mutant Control Agency, and Luke Townsend, a professor at Harvard University who has studied mutants for almost five years now. (pause) We’ll start with you, Professor Townsend. How will today’s vote affect life as we know it?

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TOWNSEND I think we are looking at the evolution of the human race as we speak. Five years ago, we were wondering whether or not we made the right choice by not starting a third World War by attacking the mutant race. Instead, the logical and reasonable choice was made to trust the mutants who have proved themselves trustworthy. We started working with them, instead of trying to control them. The U.N. took the right stance in supporting them globally and the “evil” mutants were brought into custody with the help of the X-Men and other mutant affiliations.

ANCHOR It really did prevent a global catastrophe.

TOWNSEND When we decided not to be led by our fear, our greatest fear never came into reality. We’ve only moved forward from that point and, who can remember when the last battle that took place in the middle of any U.S. city.

ANCHOR This is truly amazing when you think about it. Mr. Baker, how do you feel about the progress we have made?

BAKER I want to ask the question no one is asking anymore. Can mutants continue to control themselves without the supervision of governments around the world?

TOWNSEND There has been over three years of peace --

BAKER -- Let me continue, if I may. Mutants have the type of power ordinary humans do not have. Once they get the President they want into power, along with the regulations already granted to them by the U.N., how would we ever stop them from controlling everything if they chose to?

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TOWNSEND This is the type of thinking that got us on the brink of war five years ago. Someone gives a hypothetical situation on international television and people become afraid of what hasn’t happened yet.

BAKER Think about this. Mutants have more power now than they did five years ago. Five years ago, very few, if any governments would back them. They were alone, with the world, seemingly standing against them. Of course, they decided to behave. But now, they’re integrated with the governments around the world. Their voting power has already changed the face of Washington. Next, will be the President of the United States. We’re giving them everything they need to overthrow the human race through our democracy.

ANCHOR You disagree with him, Professor?

TOWNSEND This point-of-view comes with the huge assumption that mutants want to take over the world. I’ve been around mutants long enough to know the majority of them simply want to fit-in with the rest of society, which is what they have done since the regulations have been passed by the U.N. This is why there are crowds of people standing in line to support the mutant race. We have finally figured out, they are not so different from us after all. We cannot punish them for having powers humans don’t have.

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BAKER This is a grave mistake on our part to let the mutant race have power outside of their own already extraordinary abilities. The Mutant Control Agency should be allowed to do its job, find new mutants, categorize them, and make sure any uprising can be contained by our Sentinel program.

TOWNSEND The Sentinels caused more damage than mutants! That is not protecting the citizens of the world!

BAKER The Sentinels are our only protection against them. We were in the process of coming up with newer models that met government regulations around the world in order to fight the mutants more efficiently, with less collateral damage --

TOWNSEND -- People are not collateral damage, Mr. Baker.

The Anchor waves his hands, getting their attention.

ANCHOR Gentlemen, that’s all the time we have for this segment. Thank you for coming this morning, both of your opinions have gotten great responses from our viewers. (to the audience) Ladies and gentlemen, I rarely give my personal feelings on the telecast, but I believe this is one of the proudest days we’ll ever witness in, not only American History, but World History. We’ll continue to look around the country to witness today’s event, after the break.

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