I do have hope. I believe there is a solution out there, waiting. There’s always a solution, at least that’s what I think. If we don’t survive this, it’s because we’ll have been too stupid, too selfish, too greedy to find it.
I realize I’ve been wrong about one thing this whole time. I’ve let my ego get in the way. I thought … I still think our best hope for survival is with the EDC. I thought you people were just getting in the way. I forgot that the EDC is supposed to be an extension of this room, that you’re all a part of it, in a way. It was stupid of me to ask you to stand aside and do nothing. God knows I couldn’t. I know you’re all as vested in this as we are. I know you wanna help.
This morning, I’ve asked my people to share all the data we had on the alien gas with each and every one of your governments. You should have it by now. I know many of you were working on a cure already, but if you weren’t, get your best people on it. Hell, get your worst people on it. You never know. We will also share everything we have on the alien robots, all of it. We’ll make that data available to everyone. Our data should be on the EDC website this evening. Tell the world. The key to our survival might be in the hands of a really smart kid, somewhere. Make sure he knows. That is what I want from you. Help us. Do not send your armies to die in vain. Do not launch more missiles. Help us.
I have hope.
That’s all I have to say. Now go home. Go home and tell your family you love them. Tell them ten times, a hundred times. Do it while you can. And if we somehow survive this, keep doing it. In the end, it’s all that really matters.
FILE NO. 1594
INTERVIEW WITH VINCENT COUTURE, CONSULTANT, EARTH DEFENSE CORPS
Location: Shadow Government Bunker, Lenexa, KS
—You can sit down Vincent.
—Thank you Rose. Can I still call you Rose?
—Why wouldn’t you?
—I don’t know. You’re in his chair. You’re taping this. Feels weird to have you sitting in front of me and not him.
—Believe me, it feels a lot stranger being on this side of the table.
—Are you sure he’s dead?
—I was there, Vincent.
—I know. I just thought … I thought he’d be able to weasel his way out of this, twist God’s arm, tell him he had nude pictures of him or something.
—He was very human in the end. He really liked you, you know?
—Yeah … I thought so. He … When I woke up in the hospital after Ryan crushed my legs into a wall, he was there sitting by my bed. He must have been sitting there for hours. He could have asked the hospital staff to call him, but he chose to stay. For years, I tried to figure out what he had to gain. Over time, I … I guess I got used to the idea that he might have just cared. Then again, maybe he thought gaining my trust was important for the project. Who knows?
—Probably a bit of both. But he did care. Strange as it may seem, you were the closest thing he had to family.
—He called me Mr. Couture.
—That was a sign of respect.
—Strange man. I wish I knew something about him, who he was.
— … Me too.
—Rose, I—
—What is it?
—I don’t want you to take this the wrong way. I’m so happy, relieved, that you’re here, that you’re safe, but how— —How did I survive the gas? I’m not sure. Alyssa’s back from London. She’s analyzing my blood now. I assume I have the same genetic anomalies that every other survivor has.
—Does that mean you’re … ?
—An alien? Part alien? I don’t know. I guess so. I was having a hard time figuring out who I was before. This is just— —Could they have altered your DNA when they … brought you back?
—Ten years ago, they said my genetic profile was an exact match to … well, to mine, to hers. They said I was me. It’s possible they missed something back then. I won’t know until Alyssa runs more tests. To be honest, it would be a relief, somehow. If I weren’t really Rose Franklin … I know how this sounds, but— —You’d have a reason to feel the way you do. You’d know you’re not … crazy. I’m sorry. That’s not what I meant.
—No, no! That’s exactly what I meant. Thank you. On the other hand, if I was one of them, if I had some alien blood to begin with, it would explain why they chose to bring me back from the dead.
—Seems like a lot of trouble to go through to save a distant cousin. I think you guys may be wrong on this whole alien thing.
—Maybe. I wish I had a better explanation. We keep talking about me, but how are you holding up?
—I’m … I don’t know how I feel. I’m still … numb.
—If anyone could cheat death, I thought it would be Kara.
—I know, right? Spit in its face. Kick it in the teeth. It’s my fault she’s dead, you know?
—Vincent, there’s—