Uh, could you give us a second?

The Skitters must have changed the frequency that they're using for communications again.

When we find the right signal, with any luck, we should be able to stop the Skitters and Mechs, well, right in their tracks.

Hey. I'm glad you're here.

Ben says that when he hears the signal, it hurts.

After everything he's been through, I don't want to make it any worse.

I wish I could tell you what the effects might be, but we're in new territory.

Sounds like you think Scott's jamming idea might actually work.

Well, he's hopeful.

Hail Mary passes seem to be the order of the day.

Setting gun positions and barricades and coming up with an evacuation plan -t's a long way from the lecture hall.

Tom, I know you're worried about Hal, but he's smart.

If Weaver's mission isn't right, he'll back off.

Oh, he's 16 and he's hurting and he wants payback.

He's gonna see this through, if he can.

How can you be sure?

Because I would.

[ Sighs ]

No, if Weaver sticks to Porter's timeline, they'll go in just after dark.

That's eight hours.

I just want to get through this day.

Oh, for love of -he generator must have run out of gas.

I told those kids at the motor pool to make sure it was full up.

I think there's a spare can in the store room.

Ben, you want to give me a hand?

Yeah, sure.

I-I'm gonna head back to the clinic, unless you need me.

No, no. I'm good. I'm good.

Thanks.

I won't let you hurt them.

♪ Falling Skies 1x10 ♪
Eight Hours
Original Air Date on August 7, 2011

Whoa. Whoa, whoa, hey, hey, hey, hey!

You want to take it easy with the bumps, man?

I mean, we're not hauling mattresses back here.

We're not hauling nitro through the Andes, either.

"Wages of Fear."

Never saw it? Great movie.

Anyway, it's gonna take a little bit more than a few potholes to set these boomers off.

Look, I'm not worried about the anfo bombs, okay, genius?

I'm worried about... That.

A loaded RPG should not be back here with us.

Stop wringing your hands, will you?

Safety's on.

I think.

[ Click ]

Are you serious?

[ Laughs ]

Boom!

You're a nutbag, man, you know that?

Weaver: Okay!

Okay, right there. Whoa!

Let's go!

Check out the intersection!

Drive out two klicks and see if the roads are clear!

Yes, sir.

We've been lucky so far.

So far today or so far this year?

Today.

Skitters must be concentrating their forces on the main highways, but that could change.

How much did your father tell you?

There aren't a whole lot of secrets between us.

And you still took the mission?

Said you quit taking pills.

That was good enough for me.

Still wondering why I came.

Am I?

I just remember my dad telling me about the day after Pearl Harbor was bombed, how thousands of guys, some of them as young as me, came flooding into the recruiting offices.

There was absolutely no way they knew how long that war would last or how hard it would be, but they just knew they had to fight back.

Like father, like son, huh?

Always with the history lesson.

But you do know this is different, right?

Our enemies aren't like us.

They don't make the same mistakes we do.

They haven't missed a beat yet.

I'd say they've missed one.

[ Engines rev ]

[ Tires screech ]

All clear! Let's move.

[ Engines turn over ]

He was lying next to the transmitter.

Somebody had broken into it.

I saw the blood and got Dr. Glass.

It's okay, Ben. You did the right thing.

Scott: Aah! Ow!

[ Sighs ]

Anne: Don't be such a baby.

I thought the physician's creed was "First, do no harm."

Oh, Tom, Tom. Glad you're here.

It was Rick, wasn't it?

He's right.

How did you know it was him?

I...

I-I just did.

Rick was hanging from the -he ceiling like some crazy bat.

Don't -on't ask me how.

And he must have been there awhile because he knew exactly what to take in order to knock out the transmitter.

Are you done yet? No.

Aah. Ow!

We knew Rick was troubled, but sabotage?

Attacking Scott?

I guess whatever the harness did isn't going away.

All right, we need to find him.

Rick? Rick, are you here?

I knew you were coming.

Why did you hurt Scott?

To get this. To stop him.

No, friend, you remember?

He's trying to keep them away.

If you give back the part, they'll forgive you.

They know you're confused because of the harness.

It's okay, Ben.

I know you can hear them, too.

I want them out of my head.

Why?

Ben, they're better than the humans.

We can be a part of that. Ben?

I want the harness back, Ben.

What?

I can tell you want it, too.

Come with me. We'll find them.

We'll find them together.

Help!

Help! It's okay, Ben. I'll find them.

Get my dad!

And I'm gonna bring them back.

Man: Hey, where's Tom?! Somebody get Tom!

Ben: He's going to warn the Skitters!

Don't let him get away!

He's gonna warn the Skitters! Stop him! Stop him!

Rick!

Rick!

Damn coat racks are gonna give us up!

Hold your fire! Hold your fire!

Don't shoot!

Don't you ever raise a gun to my son!

Aliens figure out we're here, we're dead.

Why don't you save your ammo for them and not these kids?!

I was just trying to... I know, I know.

These people, they're just scared.

I want you to go back inside and find Dr. Glass and stay with her, okay?

You going after Rick?

Yeah.

I'll try to bring him back. You got this?

Just make sure you come back.

[ Animal calls ]

[ Bird calls ]

Rick.

We've been trying to hear you, but it's been really difficult.

I know.

It's 'cause they took the harness off.

We know. It's terrible!

They just don't understand, do they?

I want to come back and be like them, like you.

Of course you do.

But first you have to tell us everything about the people you've been with.

Okay.

Okay.

[ Birds chirping ]

Rick: No, wait!

Please, I told you all I know! All I want to do is come back!

Please! Please!

Rick, who are you talking to out here?

She...She left me.

They left me.

Who?

I only wanted to be with them, but they didn't care.

Rick, are there Skitters near here?

I'm not one of them.

I'm not one of you.

I don't want to live like this anymore.

Go ahead. Why not? Shoot me.

What?

Isn't that w-why you -sn't that why you followed me here, Tom, to kill me?

No. I came to take you home.

[ Sobs ]

[ Crying ]

But I really miss my dad.

Okay, we got to go.

I'm sorry.

It's okay.

You didn't ask for this. Nobody asked for this.

No, I'm sorry about - thought they loved me.

All they wanted was information.

Rick, what did you tell them?

I told them everything -he school, Weaver, you.

Everything.

Let's go.

[ Engines rev ]

Circle up!

If the 4th and 5th had made it to their set point, their runners were supposed to meet us here.

We're gonna have to assume that they've been taken out.

Meaning we got two choices -etreat or keep going.

Now, you men know how I feel.

But each of you has to make your own decision.

Anthony: I'm in.

So am I!

[ Crowd murmuring ]

I'm in! I'm in, too!

Okay.

We split up here.

Each of the four squads, four separate charges -ne for each leg of that damned thing.

Squad one -- north leg. Yes, sir.

Two -- east. Roger that.

Three -- south leg.

I'll stay here and take the west leg.

At 1900 hours, I'll send Hal and Anthony to recon with the other squads.

Everybody's in place, we wait until dark, move in, position our charges.

At exactly 2100 hours, we light those fuses and get the hell out.

Pope, those bombs of yours had better be good to go.

You get 'em there, they'll blow.

Everybody's gonna be on foot after that.

Each squad's gonna have to make its way back to the school any way you can.

That's it.

Let's move!

[ Engines turn over ]

You found him?

Yeah.

Take him to the clinic.

It's okay.

Tom, what's going on?

You should hear this. There you go.

You found the tube.

Rick had it on him.

I'm gonna need you to get that transmitter up and running as soon as possible. Okay.

Come on in.

Okay, we don't have a lot of time, so I'm just gonna lay it out.

The Skitters know where we are, and there's a good chance they're gonna attack.

We all hoped we could hang on until the strike team made it back.

That's too risky now, so I've decided to evacuate the civilians.

We're gonna walk them out through the tunnel behind the auditorium.

Once through, they'll move west, away from the city.

If the Skitters have the scent, they'll be crawling all over this area.

It's not gonna be easy to get around them.

That's why I'm gonna stay behind with a small group of volunteers.

If the aliens attack, we'll draw their fire, keep them focused on us, maybe open up a window for the civilians to escape.

But how are we gonna hold off the Skitters and Mechs?

Our best soldiers are with Weaver.

I know how it sounds.

But I want you to think about where we are.

Battles of Lexington and Concord were fought not too far from here.

Small force of colonists against the entire might of the British Empire.

Nobody gave them much of a chance, either.

Patrick Henry called it.

"The battle is not to the strong alone.

It is to the vigilant, the active, and the brave."

A small, disciplined militia can not only hold out against a larger force but drive it back because they're fighting for what rightfully belongs to them.

This is our home, our world.

So remember that if they come.

So let's go do this.

[ Motorcycles revving ]

Anthony: Mechs are moving into position around the structure!

What about the other teams?

We can't get that close.

We saw smoke coming from one of the set points.

Looks like an attack.

We don't think the other teams made it.

And the way those Mechs were moving, you got to know they're ready for us.

Hal, get your bike. You're going back to the school.

With the rest of you, right?

I don't know about the rest of us, but I'm staying here.

No way.

Look, I made it this far, and whatever the next move is, I'm gonna see this through.

The next move is for you to fall back.

You go back and tell Tom he was right -he 4th and 5th are gone.

Civilians need to evacuate.

If you're still going for the structure, you're gonna need every man possible.

You listen to me.

There'll be other battles after today, but only if these people know that these things can be hit, and they can be hit hard.

So let me help.

You can help by going back and telling everyone you see that the fighters of the 2nd Mass carried out an attack against the alien structure over Boston.

You tell them the resistance drew blood.

You give these people hope, and then you can lead the next fight and the one after that.

Captain, you --

That's an order, son!

Be careful.

[ Engine revs ]

Hey, Matt, I've been looking for you.

You got to get going.

No. Not without you.

Why? What's the matter?

You're still mad at me, aren't you?

For helping Pope?

[ Inhales deeply ]

I was angry with you, yeah, and I'm sorry that we haven't had a chance to talk about it until now.

I'll never do it again. I promise.

Actually, you probably will, and I'll probably call you on it, just like yesterday.

You are growing up.

And it's not gonna be easy for you to find your place or for me to know when to back off.

And if I seem angry, it's only 'cause I care about you so much.

Come on.

Dr. Glass wants to get all the kids out first.

Dad, you know those Mech bullets that we made?

Yeah?

Do you think they'll help?

Yeah, I do.

Hi.

Hey.

Let's go.

Hey.

[ Gasps ] Sarah. Charlotte's so beautiful.

She's more than that. She's a miracle. Thank you.

Of course. Stay safe.

Okay, everyone be careful on the steps.

Once you're in the tunnel, stay close and follow your guide.

Anne! Hey.

I could stay with you.

I mean, you don't know what's coming, and...

Someone needs to watch out for Rick.

And you never know when someone might need a doctor.

A year of medical school hardly makes me a doctor.

A year of this, and you're that and more.

You've helped out a lot of people, Lourdes.

Especially me.

Stay safe.

You too.

Okay. We'll catch up. I promise.

Okay.

Bye. Bye.

I'm surprised Rick held on to it.

Would have been just as easy to smash it.

Maybe something wasn't as far gone as we thought.

Well, now we just got to make it work during battle.

No pressure. You ready to give it another go?

You got eight minutes, and then he goes in the tunnel.

Tom.

What?

Ben is keyed in to their communications grid.

I know. So find the frequency and start jamming.

But they keep changing the frequency.

I said he could stay to find the frequency, and that's it.

Now you got seven minutes.

Okay. Good.

No, no, not good. I can do this, dad.

I know you can, but if this attack comes, I don't want you here.

What if they change the frequency? Scott will never find it.

I'm sorry, Tom, but he's right. This could be our one shot.

And if it doesn't work, it won't matter where any of us go.

Dad.

I know what they're saying about me and Rick, that we're infected by these harnesses.

But if I can use what the Skitters did to me to get back at them, you have to let me.

Hey. Scout has Mechs inside a mile.

All right, if I say run, you run. Find it.

Okay, are you ready?

Let her rip. Okay.

[ Indistinct shouting, dog barking ]

Hey, kid. Kid.

Why don't you come stand over here with me?

The name's Jimmy.

Not kid.

All right, then, Jimmy.

This ought to be a cakewalk after taking on a Skitter.

Yeah, well, if it wasn't for Captain Weaver, I wouldn't be here right now.

I really miss him.

All right. How about you and me make a pact?

You watch my back, and I'll watch yours.

Deal? Deal.

Tom: All right, when they come, nobody shoot until I give the order.

You got 30 rounds of Mech ammunition each.

Let's make every shot count.

Man: Yes, sir!

(Man #2) All right, Tom!

Hopefully our families have made it through the tunnel by now.

[ Thudding ]

Mech!

It's coming!

Tom: All right, everybody down! Down!

Wait for my signal.

Their guns spin up before they shoot, like taking a breath. Listen for it.

Okay.

Easy!

Scott: Anything?

The Mech's still coming.

Damn things must have changed frequencies.

Easy! Wait till it gets closer!

[ Mechanical growling ]

All right, open fire!

[ All cheering ]

Man: We got him!

(Man #2) We got him!

[ Laughs ]

I guess those Mech bullets really work, huh?

[ Thudding, clanking ]

Ben.

Everybody get down! Get down!

Call out your ammo!

I got two.

Three shots left.

Four. How many more we got?

Too many.

They're gonna draw our fire until we're out of ammo.

We got to find the right frequency and jam the communications.

[ Gasps ] There. Right there. I'm feeling it.

Oh. I'm sorry. Sorry, son.

Ugh! No.

Is that it? No, no. Back a bit.

Back a bit. Back a bit.

Ugh! Ohh!

There it is. There it is. There it is.

All right. Anything?

The Mechs are still coming.

We got the frequency. Maybe the signal's not strong enough.

Can we make it stronger?

The generator's maxed out.

Maybe a -aybe a bigger antenna.

How about the flagpole?

Well, it's metal.

Okay.

Are you scared, too?

Okay, you stay down until I give you the word, all right?

You remember our deal? You watch my back.

[ Whirring ]

No! No, Ben!

We'll get one of the fighters.

There's more Mechs coming. I can hear them.

[ Groaning ]

Ben, what are you doing?! Get back!

Dad! We have a signal.

We just have to make it stronger.

[ Screaming ]

Man: I'm out of Mech ammo! Woman: Me too!

[ Metallic screeching ]

Jimmy.

You want to see something beautiful?

They're running away.

The Mechs -hat are they doing?

They're retreating.

The Mechs -h-they're running away from us?

That's right! And this is just the start!

We beat them once, we can beat them again!

Yeah!

[ All cheering ]

Yeah! Yeah!

Yeah!

Yeah!

Did you see them turn and run?

Maybe we don't have to leave now.

The Skitters didn't know what hit them, but they'll be back.

You did all right out there, Jimmy.

Thanks.

Everyone's just about out.

Okay. How's Ben?

As long as Scott's jamming their transmissions, he's hurting, but he's hanging in there.

Thanks for what you did today.

Hey, Dad.

Thank God you're back. Are you okay?

I'm fine, Dad.

The 4th and 5th -hey just never showed up.

What about Weaver?

He's with Gibson, Pope, and Anthony at the west leg.

They're gonna try to complete the mission any way they can.

By themselves?

Yeah.

That's suicide. Weaver's got to know that.

I think that's why they sent me back.

I guess they just can't live with themselves if they didn't at least try.

You just rode all the way in from Boston and you didn't run into any trouble?

No, the roads were clear. Why?

Scott's jamming idea worked.

It could be the aliens are withdrawing their forces, trying to figure out what just hit them.

If that's true, there might be an opportunity.

Tell Scott that I want the generator and the transmitter loaded onto a vehicle, all set and ready to go.

Dad, what are we doing? I'll meet you there.

Hi. Hi.

Don't laugh, but I'm actually gonna miss this place.

I'm leaving with some good memories -irst I've had since this started.

So, you ready to sleep under the stars?

What's wrong?

The Skitters pulled back.

That ought to give you enough time to get the civilians someplace safe.

You'll want to look for somewhere secluded, close to water.

I'm sure you'll know it when you see it.

I'm not going with you right away.

Why?

Because, like you said, when Porter made me second-in-command, he knew that I would do whatever I could to keep the civilians safe.

And I've done that.

And now we've got men in the field that deserve the same consideration, and I can't walk away.

You're going back into Boston for Weaver.

I can't change your mind, can I?

Tom... What about Matt and Ben?

That's why I wanted to talk to you.

If something should happen to me...

...You're the only person that I trust to watch out for them.

I'll be there for them. You know that.

But only until you come back.

And you will come back, because your sons need you.

These people need you.

[ Sighs ]

[ Indistinct conversations ]

Here you go, Mr. Scott.

Okay.

Oh, this must be really messing their heads up.

The frequency's still locked in place.

How are you feeling?

I just hope they're feeling as crappy as I am.

Okay, so, I hooked the antenna leads up to the chassis, which means that this whole car is one big antenna.

You keep the generator full of gas, and, uh, you're good to go.

It might be enough to keep them off of me until I get to the city.

What if they change the frequency again?

Let's hope that they don't.

Dad, I can do this. I can help you.

You already did.

So, I drew the route that we took to get down there, but I wish you'd reconsider... Or bring me with you.

No.

I need to know that you're safe and that you're looking out for your brothers.

Come here.

I love you.

GTO.

[ Gun cocks ]

Damn, Professor.

Try making a human noise next time.

Damn near blew your head off.

Anthony -s he -e's breathing, but he's -e's bleeding really bad.

I'm not a big fan of super-cop here, but figuring Christmas is right around the corner -t's actually a couple months off.

Come on. All right, careful.

Help me get him in the back here.

Okay.

[ Grunts ]

What about Weaver?

Last time I saw him, he was heading towards party central there.

Figured on account I didn't hear anything that sounded like a boom, I'm guessing he didn't make it.

The only thing I can't figure out is why the spidery -asy, easy, easy.

I got him.

The spidery bastards didn't finish us off.

This the old man's radio rig?

Yeah.

It seems to have kept them off of us for a while.

[ Grunts ]

You both need a doctor.

You're going down there, aren't you?

Yeah. You take the car.

Get Anthony back to the school.

Professor.

In the trunk of the GTO - little something might come in handy.

[ Grunts ]

Pretty, ain't it?

Standard army issue, only with a Mech metal shell.

It'll do in a pinch.

Oh, it just might.

Hey, Tom.

Good luck to you.

[ Groaning ]

Gib?

Damn.

[ Door opens ]

Captain?

Tom.

[ Sighs ]

Tom! What...

Gibson?

He's gone.

The school -- were we --

Skitters and Mechs took a run at us, but we held them off.

Good.

What happened to you?

As we got near the leg, a ship came in and took us out.

Oh, wow!

We were close when it hit us. The bomb's no good now.

You know, these ships...

...I think they're being called home.

Weaver: Why?

We jammed their frequency, messed up their communications.

Must be why the streets are deserted.

Maybe we rattled their cage.

Maybe they're confused...

Maybe a little afraid.

What are you thinking?

I'm thinking that I'm close enough to take a shot.

[ Scoffs ]

Tom... When the aliens first hit, all our surviving troops fired every heavy weapon they had into those things -ever made a dent.

The chances of us bringing one of their ships down, even with a Mech load, are --

About as slim as our chance of having made it this far?

Come on! Let's let them know we were here.

Go ahead.

Good shot.

[ Laughs ]

I think we got their attention.

You think this thing will run?

We can try.

If any of the teams survived, maybe they will be there.

Whoa. What the hell?

No, no, no, no, no. Wait.

It's Karen.

Karen?

Did they send you to find us?

Tom?

That's right.

They brought me here because they don't understand.

Who doesn't?

[ Guns cock ]

They didn't expect... Resistance on this level.

They find that interesting...

And want to talk.

Interesting?

You thought this was gonna be easy!

Superior forces, superior weapons!

You murdered millions of people! You steal our children!

And now you want to negotiate?!

What the hell do you want from us?!

I don't give a damn what it wants.

I'm gonna blow this one straight to hell.

Don't.

After all the people they killed?!

Give me one good reason why I shouldn't.

Because of Ben.

Ben? What about Ben?

The harness... Is a process.

And Ben isn't free from it.

They'll call him back... Unless you go with them.

It's a lie, Tom. You don't want to do this.

No, I don't.

But that patch of skin on his back, and the way he hears that signal -hey still got a hold over him.

Tom, I know how much Ben means to you, but you can't trust them.

They can force you.

But they don't want that.

[ Whooshing ]

Tom.

I can't let them take Ben back.

Tom?

Tom?

Tom?