Exclusive: The Evolved Solution

Participants:

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With Special Guest:

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Scene Title Exclusive: The Evolved Solution
Synopsis Three bright minds enter a round-table discussion with Larry King as moderator.
Date June 19, 2009

Televised On:

CNN


TONIGHT! A Larry King Live Exclusive: The Evolved Solution

Grainy cell-phone footage of tanks rolling through a crowded street in Russia, only for the first tank to be lifted up into the air by a young man crouched in front of it. The vehicle is flipped end over end, crushing a line of parked cars before it crashes through the front window of a boutique.

With the world in crisis, the question everyone is asking is tackled by two brilliant minds.

Police dashboard camera footage is played next, featuring a routine traffic stop where an Arizona State Trooper walks up to a parked pickup truck, and suddenly bursts into flames as a hand waves out of the driver's side window, and the truck peels off from the shoulder on to the highway again as the officer's partner comes rushing out into frame, firing his gun at the back of the truck.

Around the world, each nation struggles with the nature and meaning of the Evolved. Tonight, we touch on hot-button issues such as the Linderman Act, the Madagascar Crisis, Phoenix, and the Evolved Revolution in Russia!

Camera phone footage flashes up onto the screen, a young man jumping in front of the camera with his shirt off. "There's nothing to see here, we're professionals, if you take pictures it's a federal offense!" he warns in an 'official' tone." A redhead kneeling over a man who is quite obviously bleeding out, a child calling for her father in the background and crying. "Magnes! Stop. Let them. You can't stop them," comes from the red head at the end of what seems to be a prayer. "Just keep them from touching me, or touching him." Beneath her hands, the injured man's flesh is slowly healing.

The Evolved Solution — A Larry King Live Exclusive

The video footage finally peels away, revealing the white-haired and suspender-clad form of CNN's talk-journalist Larry King reclining behind his desk, hunched over towards his microphone. "Good evening. It's a night for heated debate and scientific discussion for our exclusive discussion of the Evolved situation around the world."

Cut away to another camera, and three men are shown seated at the long, curving desk opposite of Larry King. "I am honored to be joined tonight by an expert and social-sorcerer of the Evolved field, son of famed author of Activating Evolutions, Doctor Mohinder Suresh." Tipping his head into a nod, Mohinder's scruffily shaven face manages a bit of a grin as he murmurs a thank-you to Larry.

"Next to Doctor Suresh we have Morgan Dietrich, CEO of Pinehearst Company International," A gray-haired man with prominent wrinkles and a tired expression on his face nods politely, arms folded across his chest at the introduction.

"And Finally, Doctor Bao-Wei Cong, author of of the controversial paper Pinpointing Evolution." Larry's weathered hand motions towards the panel constructed, offering them a broad, toothy smile. "It's a pleasure to have you all here tonight." Then, turning to the Camera, Larry folds his hands together and offers a lopsided smile. "One reminder, my book, My Remarkable Journey: By Larry King — that's me — is now out and available everywhere. Most of the proceeds go to the Larry King Cardiac Foundation. I hope you find it an enjoyable read. More about it later."

Turning to the guests again, Larry's brows pitch up in a questioning expression. "Let's start tonight's discussion off with a topic on everyone's minds right now — is the Evolved situation getting better or worse?" He motions towards the end of the line, "Doctor Cong, would you start us out?"

The last thing that Bao-Wei Cong expected this morning was his nurse running into his office to proclaim that CNN was on the telephone. All in all, the rest of the day has been rather surprising for him, in a great deal of ways. He has been quite cordial with both Suresh and Dietrich, despite obvious differences in manner and fields; the quiet, almost endless wait for the screens across the studio to pan onto the four takes a somewhat anxious toll. Granted, he has never been on national television, and the experience itself is quite new. Doctor Cong is at the furthest seat from the camera, and in the traditional process of going down the line, as it were- is called upon first.

"It is quite an honor to be here, first of all." Bao-Wei offers the one thing that anyone might- cameratime is very valuable. "Better or worse? It all matters on who you ask. Ask the activists, and they will tell you that there is a standstill or even a losing set of battles for Evolved rights. Some may say that they are winning some of those battles, especially when it comes to contesting the Linderman Act. Question those who are on the other side, making an aim to defend from rogues- and they will of course tell you that the situation is getting worse. There is no Better, and there is no Worse; there is only the question of whether or not the world is handling the Evolved in the right way. Personally, I do not believe that we are handling it in the right way. So-called 'Revolutions' are obvious markers of that much."

"Larry nods his head in a bobbing sort of manner, shoulders hunched forward, "Now I know I've said this before, and I'll probably say it again, but this whole situation — globally — reminds me of the Civil Rights movement. I have vivid, vivid memories of that time— the people, the places, and everything going on right now, right down to Humanis First— it's that age-old addage, 'those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.'" Larry manages something of a whimsical smile, then motions to Morgan Dietrich, "Morgan I can see you're itching to get a word in here, the floor's yours."

Rubbing at one side of his head with two fingers, the CEO of Pinehearst Company International exhales a heavy sigh and motions to Bao-Wei. "Admittedly, I have to agree with what Doctor Cong's saying on a number of levels. If we look, socially, at where the world is right now, we're seeing a rise in civil unrest in not only third-world but primary cultural centers. Look at New York, and Paris, and Moscow and you can see just how badly the world is struggling to come to terms with itself." He leans back, lazily, in his seat and motions towards Larry. "What we're seeing here is a turning-point in history so monumental that future generations may change the denomination at the end of the calendar to mark it. I'm not saying any one particular event here transcends the Roman calendar's way marker of the birth of Christ, but if we're looking at a global impact it might not be hard to get that idea."

Looking once to Mohinder and then once to Bao-Wei, Morgan motions with a hand back and forth between the two. "What I think we — everyone in our field — is seeing right now is an ourcry that is only growing and growing. The Evolved situation is so out of control that I have no doubt, no doubt, that it is only going to get worse before it gets better. And the scary answer to that, is that it might not even get better any time in our lifetime."

Nodding to the discussion, Larry chimes in with his own opinion. "I can't agree with you more, there, and it's very poignent that you'd use Paris and Moscow as hit-buttons to touch on, the riots in Paris in 2007 were a truly horrible event, and we're seeing much of the same coming out of Russia now." Larry's eyes turn beneath the shields of his glasses to Mohinder. "Doctor Suresh, the floor's yours."

"Thank you Larry." Mohinder is far more animated — and admittedly younger — than the other two men on this panel. "I think to be clear, I agree with Morgan that the Evolved situation is going to get worse before it gets better, overall. My father was involved with research — classified government research — involving the Evolved long before the announcement by the American government. History has shown us, and science is beginning to prove, that the Evolved Situation isn't one we're only just now struggling with. It's one that has been alongside us since perhaps the dawn of time. What I feel, and what is echoed by Mister Dietrich's sentiments, is that the world is going to take a long, hard look at itself in order to come to terms with the change. I, personally, have fears that we're ever going to be ready for that time — for a brighter future to come."

"Absolutely captivating responses," Larry notes, shifting some cards around in front of him. "I think that opened us up perfectly to the topic of the Linderman Act, something that I think this diverse panel will have less agreements on." Larry's brows raise as he rubs a hand at his chin, "Doctor Cong you started us off so well last time, I think I'll give you another go at the fore of the batting cage. What's your take on the Linderman Act?"

Especially when Mohinder notes that the Evolved have always been closer than they appear for a very long time, Bao-Wei does nod in agreement, silently. Free of his own glasses for the interview, Bao-Wei's eyes when the camera pans to him glimmer towards it, flashing briefly the mismatched colors.

"The Linderman Act is a good idea in theory, but in actuality and practice, it is no better than making these people wear gold stars on their breasts." Strong words, and an even more set look to his features. "Or better yet, a bullseye. I will have you know that there have been incidents with the registry, so much like signing up sex offenders in neighborhood listings. There was one specific incident wherein a person having registered quite freely with the Act- was kidnapped for the ability they possessed."

There are so few people that will recognize his words, and even less that will realize how he knows them.

"The Linderman Act does nothing more than put exlamation points above the heads of many people that would rather lead their lives in peace. Evolved criminals and those with destructive abilities are the vast minority, yet the Act treats them as if every other man, woman, and unfortunate child will grow up to be the next Cameron Spalding, or the next Sylar. When in fact, most of the people being made to register due to this breach in rights, are ordinary people leading ordinary lives, yet find themselves faced with abilities that may not even pose an obvious advantage. Heightened senses, healing abilities, being able to breathe underwater, resistance to fire- not every ability that manifests is some sort of earth-shattering event."

"My take on the Linderman Act? It is dangerous fluff to appease constituents and paranoia, pure and simple. A mistake in legislation that has ended up becoming a danger to those who have to abide by it, and a hub of civil-rights violations from the population that supports it."

"Strong words for a strong topic, Mohinder, I'll let you get the next word." Larry motions to the doctor, reclining back in his seat as he reaches for a mug of water. Mohinder's expression is mixed, clearly troubled and his answer shows a bit of stilted representation by unseen hands and strings.

"I…" He gets a false start, "The Linderman Act is a good idea on paper and I will admit that something does need to be put in place. I— I feel something needs to be done, because— and I will not be the first one to make this association, firearm registration is such a similar topic to compare this to, and the necessity of it for public security— I think— outweighs the potential invasion of privacy." It's clear, however, that Mohinder may not entirely believe the words he's committing to.

"If I might," Morgan Dietrich finally jumps in over someone, and from the impatient expression he's wearing it's clear he's wanted to since the interview began. Without really getting the permission he asked for, Morgan begins his own diatribe. "The focus on the Linderman Act is — admittedly — somewhat insulting. It is such an American-centric look into this issue. Germany— " Morgan waves a hand as if gesturing to his home country, "has instated a mandatory registration with little complications since its inception in November of last year. I think, overall, the problem isn't with registration, it's that the American people do not trust their own government."

He breathes in a deep breath and then exhales a sigh. "Why should they? The act's very name is from a reputed mobster with ties to organized crime from one side of your shores to the next? That would be comparable to my country entitling our registration act the Himmler or the Mengele act. Do you not see the absurdity in it?"


SCENE PAUSE CAUSE BAO-WEI GOT EATEN BY A THUNDERSTORM OH NO!


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