Inexplicable Disaster in Washington
Aired November 3, 2019 - 15:29 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: I'm receiving word that we're receiving a video feed from Anderson Cooper, *in* the capital live.
(split screen, digitally distorted video on right)
COOPER: <unintelligible> <loud noises in background>
ZAHN: We're seeing you, but we can't hear you, say again?
COOPER: <unintelligible>...unbelievable destruction, we're...<unintelligible>
(right video shows vague shapes, Cooper is barely visible, surrounded by clouds of dust.
COOPER (shouting): ...just try to stay clear of the debris! ...Paula? Can you hear me?
ZAHN: Yes, Anderson. Can you tell us what is happening there?
COOPER (shouting): It started an hour ago, we think - reports are telling us that a building on 23rd St. - near the Navy Medical Center - collapsed! This was not an Infection-related event, the building was inside the secured perimeter! The causes are unknown, but worsening - more buildings began falling shortly afterwards!
ZAHN: Is there any clue to what's happening there?
COOPER (shouting): It's chaos here - no one knows what's going on! There are no initial explosions, though there have been secondary explosions and fires are raging throughout the secured perimiter! There are ground vibrations, but it's from the sheer numbers of collapses going on, this is *not*, I repeat *not* an earthquake!
ZAHN: What official response to this new crisis have you seen so far?
COOPER (shouting): As you know, the President had been staying at the White House to promote calm in the face of the crisis of Infection! We've learned that he *has* left on Air Force Two - One, now - and is en route to a secure location! The Army and National Guard units already in the city for Infection defense have been trying to maintain order, but it's just - the devastation is unbelievable - there's very little they can-
COOPER: ...My God, look at that!
(video wheels around to show a distant view of the Washington Monument crumbling to pieces)
COOPER: It's clear that, given the current policy for residents to stay indoors as much as possible, that the death toll will be in the tens of thousands. There's just- Jessica, look out!
(video tilts crazily, loud noises, digital distortion)
ZAHN: Anderson, are you alright there? Anderson?
(video stabilizes, camera is on its side on the ground, Cooper can be seen pulling rubble off of the leg of his camerawoman)
ZAHN: Clearly the situation in Washington is dire, we'll be bringing you-wait, something's...
(cut back to video, camera still tilted - sounds of gunfire, soldiers with automatic weapons are backing through the field of view, firing as they go)
(soldiers help Cooper clear debris rapidly, but a length of rebar is shown to be pinning the woman's leg to a large cement block - there is an inaudible argument between Cooper and a soldier, then Cooper is dragged out of frame, the soldiers back out too, still firing)
ZAHN: ...
(the pinned woman sees something approaching and begins screaming - an Infected enters the frame, then goes down under a hail of bullets - then another enters, and another. One is reaching for the woman, then Cooper suddenly enters the frame, flinging himself on the Infected, flailing with what appears to be a military truncheon)
(Cooper disables four before he is overwhelmed - his and the womans screams continue for around a half a minute, then are cut off)
(video goes dark, then cuts to live satellite view of Washington, D.C. - the collapsed structures trace out a vaguely fractal pattern, like a cracked windshield)
ZAHN: As you can...as you can see... (lets out a small sob and shakes her head)
ZAHN: ...God have mercy on them - and on us all.