Mr. Gallant is trimming a woman's hair at a salon. Once he finishes, the woman insists that her hair has to be on point because she's working on becoming an Instagram influencer. Gallant points out that she's a billionaire, and the woman Coco St. Pierre Vanderbilt says that she has to make a name for herself rather than rely on her father's money. Coco's assistant Mallory comes in and gives Coco some cold-pressed juice, and Coco complains that it tastes like shit. She demands a macchiato and as Mallory goes she wonders if the Kardashians are filming outside.
An alert goes off of an incoming ballistic attack. Coco dismisses it as a hoax, and her father calls from Hong Kong. He tells Coco to listen that the missile alert is real and LA will be a crater in an hour. He says that a car is coming to take her to a private jet where they have a bomb shelter prepared, and says that it's too late for them. The signal cuts off from an explosion, and Mallory tells Coco that they have to go. The two women run outside as people start panicking.
At a hotel, Brock comes out of a pitch meeting and hears a report about the incoming missile attack. Coco calls him and tells him to get to the airport because she doesn't want to live without him. The newscaster reports that multiple cities have been hit by nuclear bombs, and he realizes that he won't make it home. He tells his children that he loves him and the station goes off the air.
At home, Evie complains that the champagne is burn. The maid, Esmeralda, runs out after saying that it's the end of the world. Gallant comes in and says that he's been trying to call Evie, and says that they have to go. Evie dismisses her grandson's warning as fake news.
Mallory and Coco get caught in traffic, and Mallory says that she has to go home. Coco insists that she stay with her and promises to give her her brother's ticket. She points out that after the bomb drops, there won't be anything to go home to. Mallory agrees, and some leaps out of a building and lands on the windshield.
As Coco and Mallory arrive at the hanger, Gallant pulls up and tells Coco to wait. He figures that there's room for all of them and introduces Evie. Gallant says that Brock won't make it because of the traffic, and Coco agrees. She calls Brock, who says that he's in a traffic jam. Brock gets out of the car and starts warning, and the chauffeur says that it doesn't look good. People head for the plane, and the chauffeur pulls his gun. Coco reminds Bruce of their contract that they can release each other from their monogamous obligations, and says that he's free to see other people. Brock tells her not to leave him, and the chauffeur shoots the approaching workers and tells Coco to get on the plane. As she boards, a worker clubs the chauffeur down and the plane taxis out of the hangar.
Brock runs through the streets and sees Coco' plane flies overhead.
Coco wonders where they're going, and Mallory goes to the cockpit to find out. No one answers her knock and when she opens the door, she discovers that no one is flying the plane. An explosion shakes the plane and it goes into a crash drive for a moment before stabilizing. Everyone looks out the windows and sees a mushroom cloud in the distance.
Forty Minutes Before the Bomb
Tim Campbell wonders where his father is, and Tim's mother Nora assures him that he worked his butt off for three years and they should be able to see how wonderful Tim is. She hugs Tim and assures him that he's meant for great things, and Tim's brother Edward brings up a report confirming that Tim is in to UCLA. As the family celebrates, alarms go off on their phones. Their father comes in and tells them that it's World War III, and they turn on the TV to the news. The newscaster announces the destruction and they've been notified to evacuate, and he says that he loves his children. Mr. Campbell tells his family that there's nowhere to go as Nora breaks into tears.
A hummer pulls up outside and two agents come in and tell Tim that he has to come with them. They say that Tim has been selected by the Cooperative, and they have a place where he'll be safe. The other agent explains that Tim's genetic makeup makes him a prime candidate to survive, and say that he submitted his DNA through an ancestry web site. He tells Mr. Campbell that the only chance Tim has to survive is to come with them. Tim refuses to go with them, and mercenaries come in and take Tim. Mr. Campbell tells Tim to say goodbye to his brother and mother, and the soldiers take Tim out to the hummer.
The agents take Tim to an underground shelter and assure him that he'll be safe there. They lock him in a room, and a woman tells him to calm down when he pounds on the door. The woman, Emily introduces herself and admits that she doesn't know how long she's been there. They didn't tell her anything and they found her in jail where she was arrested for protesting on campus. Tim figures that they got a blood sample from a doctor who treated her. The building shakes and alarms go off as the bombs explode. Tim tells himself that it's not real and that his family is okay.
Two Weeks Later
The agents take Tim and Emily to a fallout shelter and Emily figures that rich people are there. The male agent has them put on protective suits and has them go outside. Nearby gates open and Tim and Emily pass through. The gates close behind them, and a figure in a protective suit motions them on. The figure leads them past a trio of people in protective shoots who shoot down two other people as they kneel on the ground saying that they won't do it again.
The figure takes Emily and Tim into a building and they descend in an elevator. They emerge into an underground facility and undergo decontamination. As they remove their suits, Wilhelmina Venable comes in, introduces herself, and welcomes them to Outpost Three. She leads Tim and Emily to a room with a fire burning in the center, and explains that it was an exclusive boy's school before the Cooperative bought and converted it. Wilhelmina says that it's the beginning, not the end, and the Cooperative is a collection of the greatest minds humanity has to offer. Tim point out that it's lit by candles and fires, and Wilhelmina says that technology is what destroyed the world and it's all been swept away and the natural order will restore itself. She says that they are Purples and will each be furnished with a private suite. Emily wonders what the Purple are, and Wilhelmina says that they're the elite. The Grays are their worker ants and the Purple are the elite. Wilhelmina says that she is the strong right arm of the Cooperative. She tells them that they will only refer to her as "Ms. Venable", they may never leave the building, and there's no unauthorized copulation permitted. She tells them that the Grays found out the punishment, and says that there are cocktails at 6:30 and their dinner wear is in the armoires.
Tim takes a shower and finds the numbers "666" written in the steam on a mirror. He hears a voice whispering for him to beware.
Tim and Emily go to the dining room together. Gallant complains about the song playing over the record and how it plays every night. He figures that they would have been better off dying with the rest of the world. Mallory--a Gray serves Coco who says that she hasn't been able to talk with Wilhelmina. Tim and Emily come in and Evie welcomes them as new blood. Actress Dinah Stevens steps forward to greet her, and Tim recognizes her from her TV show. Dinah complains that she was replaced by a telenovela, and Gallant asks them what is going on outside. The teenagers tell them that it's over.
Wilhelmina comes in and announces that dinner is served. They go to the table and are served gelatinous cubes. Dinah explains that they've told them that it contains every vitamin they need. Coco complains about the huger and throws a fit, saying that she expects Gordon Ramsay cooking them real food. Wilhelmina comes in and slaps her, and says that they have enough nutrition for the next 18 months and if their situation doesn't improve, they can count on less and less.
Gallant asks what their situation is, and Wilhelmina says that a carrier pigeon brought a message from their benefactors. Wilhelmina's assistant Miriam Mead says that the pigeon was contaminated by the fallout, and Wilhelmina tells them that the message said that there are no more governments, only rotting mounds of corpses. Three outposts have been overrun and they are the last vestiges of civilized life so they should be vigilant. Miriam tells them that everything that they know is gone. One of the guests, Andre, is shocked that civilization crumbled so quickly. Miriam says that the system was always fragile. Wilhelmina says that they will only survive if they follow the rules.
Technicians come in and report to Miriam, who says that there was a spike in radiation. Gallant blames Tim and Emily since they just came in. The technicians check everyone for radiation and Miriam explains that a single stray particle could cause the victim to fall apart. She figures that someone went outside and determines that Gallant is contaminated. He says that he's only touched Coco's head, but the scan shows that Coco is clean. The Geiger counter goes off on Andre's lover Stu and they drag him to the decontamination room with Gallant. The techs scrubs both of them, and afterward Miriam comes in and checks them with a Geiger counter. Gallant is clean but Stu isn't, and Miriam shoots him in the head.
Later in her quarters, Wilhelmina looks at herself in the mirror wearing an elegant dress. Miriam comes to Wilhelmina's room and they admire each other's dresses. When Miriam warns that they'll be in trouble if anyone sees them, Wilhelmina says that they're the only ones that matter. They look at each other in the mirror and giggle. As they drink, Miriam explains how she faked the readings showing that Stu was contaminated. They laugh over their enjoyment of making the rich suffer, and Miriam wonders what the Cooperative would say about them making their own rules and terrorizing the guests. Wilhelmina worries that Miriam is concerned, and Miriam says that her father was in the military and she respects the chain of command. Wilhelmina tells her to forget the Cooperative and it's only them.
In the dining room, Andre wonders how Stu was contaminated when he never went outside. Coco dismisses his concerns, saying that Stu was boring and using up their food. Andre hopes that they come for her next, and Wilhelmina comes in and says that no one will come for them as long as they follow the rules. They serve stew as a treat, and Coco quickly digs in. Andre says that they can't bribe them, and Wilhelmina tells them that they're in it together and they did what they had to.
Dinah asks where they're hiding the fresh meat, and Wilhelmina claims that they have it for special occasions. Andre and Gallant find human part in their stew, and they realize that it's what left of Stu. The guests start gagging, and Wilhelmina says that it's not Stu. Evie doesn't care and says that she's going to finish every drop.
After dinner, Andre tells Evie that she's a monster for eating. Evie insists that it was chicken, and Andre yells that they're all monsters. Tim wonders why Wilhelmina would feed them contaminated meat, and Andre demands to see Stu's body. Emily points out that the song has stopped, and a new song--"Morning After"--comes on. Gallant figures that it's a message, and the Cooperative is coming for them.
Eighteen Months Later
The guests sit around and listen to "The Morning After" as it plays again. Nuclear winter comes and finishes off anything the bombs left alive. The world gets colder and deadlier, but Tim and Emily fall in love and they ration their kisses to one a week. It keeps them from dying inside like everyone else around them.
At breakfast, Wilhelmina announces that it will be their last breakfast because they're cutting back to one meal a week. She says that they have no choice if they want to keep eating. Gallant says that he can't do it, and Dinah tells them that it could be an opportunity for them to grow. Coco wonders what the point of it all is, and Mallory says that they should take their chances outside. Gallant agrees, and Miriam tells them that no one is going anywhere. he asks what if they're going to shoot them all, just as the perimeter alarm goes off.
The gates open and a man drives a carriage in. The agents go to meet it, and the suited driver--Michael Langdon—steps forward, flashes his badge, and demands to speak to Wilhelmina. Langdon goes inside and meets with Wilhelmina, and says that it seems like she's doing a wonderful job.
Outside, the agents shoot the horses.
Michael points out that three outposts have been overrun and the other three won't last the year. He tells Wilhelmina that it will happen to her, and there's an impregnable sanctuary with supplies to last a decade. Michael has been assigned to evaluate the people and determine which are worthy of survival. He can take all of them or none. The ones that he doesn't choose will end up like his horses.
Written by Gadfly on Sep 13, 2018