THREE KINGS
a screenplay by
David O. Russell
Story by
John Ridley and David O. Russell
Draft Date: 6/22/98
FADE IN:
EXT. IRAQI DESERT - DAY
WIDE ANGLE POV of wide open desert, flat grey sky.
THE CAMERA is running forward, toward a big sand berm in the
distance. There are O.S. sounds: SOLDIER'S EQUIPMENT
CLANKING, BOOTS RUNNING ON SAND. Hear a MAN's BREATHING.
The back of his helmeted head and his uniformed shoulders
APPEAR in the BOTTOM of the FRAME, running. This is TROY
BARLOW, Sargeant, U.S. Army, 25 years old. On his helmet is
a photo-button with a photo of a newborn baby.
Suddenly, on the sand berm 100 meters ahead, an IRAQI SOLDIER
stands. Troy stops in his tracks, out of breath, and stares
at the figure on the berm. The Iraqi flutters a white flag
over his head, then puts it down and picks up a gun. Troy
turns around, we see his face for the first time.
TROY
Are we shooting people, or what?
SOLDIER #1 (O.S.)
Are we shooting?
TROY
That's what I'm asking you.
SOLDIER #1 (O.S.)
What's the answer?
TROY
I don't know the answer. That's
what I'm trying to find out.
PAN TO THREE SOLDIERS 40 yards away -- ZOOM IN --
SOLDIER #1 unwraps a stick of gum and puts it into his mouth.
TWO OTHER SOLDIERS put out their hands and get pieces of gum.
PAN TO 100 yards away -- ZOOM IN -- SOLDIER #2 stands with
his head tilted back while SOLDIER #3 looks into his eye.
SOLDIER #3
It looks like a grain of sand, but
I don't know how I'm gonna get it
out--
CAPTAIN VAN METER, 37, crab-like, is in the far distance.
CAPTAIN VAN METER
If they surrender, don't shoot, if
they don't surrender, then shoot.
PAN BACK TO Troy, faces the CAMERA, CLOSE, scared, then turns
back to the dune and runs a few yards.
Stops and stares, raises his rifle. He aims at the figure on
the horizon.
POV THROUGH RIFLE SCOPE
The Iraqi soldier in the cross hairs. Hear Troy's breathing,
loud, as he pulls trigger slowly. Slow motion RIFLE sound.
Silent pause. The Iraqi soldier stands there, then his neck
explodes like a sack of blood. Silent, except for sound of
Troy's LOUD BREATHING as he walks toward the big berm, and up
to the crest. All we hear are his footsteps and breathing.
SOLDIER #3 (O.S.)
That guy just shot a towel head.
SOLDIER #4 (O.S.)
Bullshit.
YOUNG IRAQI SOLDIER
lies on the ground. A piece of his neck is blown away. He is
rasping, a flag is clasped in one hand; a rifle in the other.
He is looking up at Troy, who looks down at him.
SMASH CUT TO
FANTASY - INT. HOSPITAL, TORRANCE, CAL. - DAY
A WHITE BABY GIRL, covered in blood and placenta, is pulled
from between the legs of Troy's WIFE, DARLENE. THE NURSE
holds the SCREAMING BABY aloft, proud and happy.
VIG (V.O.)
(deep southern accent)
Congratulations, you got yourself
a rag head, my man.
EXT. IRAQI DESERT - DAY (PRESENT)
The rasping Iraqi dies.
PAN TO CONRAD VIG, 18 or 20, wiry, intense, deep south,
wearing Army issue glasses, out of breath.
VIG
Dag.
Troy turns, upset, murmurs "I Get Around" by the Beach Boys.
TROY
"Gettin' bugged drivin' up and
down the same old strip, gotta
find a new place where the kids
are hip, I get around --"
SOLDIER #1
I didn't think I'd see anyone get
shot over here.
VIG
It looked like the guy's head blew
three feet into the air --
FANTASY SEQUENCE IN SLOW MOTION
The Iraqi's head pops three feet into the air.
BACK TO THE SCENE
SOLDIER #1
Bullshit, that's not what happened.
VIG
I said it looked like that
happened, but then we got here and
he was still breathing.
SOLDIER #2
Oh, my God, it's just like
'Predator,' where the guy, the
black guy --
SOLDIER #3
Carl Weathers. His arm gets shot
off.
VIG
And when it hits the ground, his
hand keeps on firing.
SCENE FROM 'PREDATOR'
Carl Weathers arm is shot off and keeps firing.
BACK TO THE SCENE.
SOLDIER #5
Take my picture.
VIG
Do you still want to sell pictures?
TROY
(distracted monotone)
For twenty.
SOLDIER #5
Twenty dollars, man, what's the
meaning of life?
TROY
You're lucky you got to see
anybody shot in this war.
VIG
War's been over five days, Jim,
ain't gonna be much more of this.
SOLDIER #5
Bobby, take my picture.
He holds the camera out.
SOLDIER #4
If he shot the guy, it's up to him.
SOLDIER #5
It's not like he shot a fucking
deer. It's the enemy.
VIG
Troy's enemy, yours for twenty.
Soldiers get their cash out, Troy takes it.
TROY
Accept no substitute, this is the
real thing, oh, Jesus [winces] --
VIG
What's wrong?
TROY
I got a really bad headache all of
a sudden--
SOLDIER #7 bends next to the corpse and holds his camera out
at arm's length.
VIG
No free pictures, motherfucker.
Vig shoves the soldier away and the two wrestle as they roll
down the sand berm.
"I Just Want to Celebrate" by Rare Earth comes on LOUD.
Troy walks away holding his temple in pain; SOLDIERS gather
to stare at the dead Iraqi, getting their cameras out.
EXT. IRAQI DESERT ROAD - AMERICAN SOLDIERS IN COMBAT GEAR
dance on a road in the desert. "I Just Want to Celebrate"
BLARES as the CAMERA DOLLIES THROUGH the soldiers.
DOLLY INTO TENT TOWN, past bare chested soldiers pumping free
weights; jogging in formation; sunbathing on big water
storage mattresses; DOLLY OUT OF THE TENT TOWN, past a
soldier taking a makeshift foxhole desert bath, past a dead
Iraqi on the road, a chopper hovering in the distance, to
MORE DANCING SOLDIERS, as music continues --
BILL SMITHSON (O.S.)
Spirits are high and the music is
boisterous as these young troops
celebrate -- Shit. Let me try that
again.
DOLLY AROUND the dancing soldiers to see: hundreds of
stripped Iraqi soldiers lying face down in undershorts.
BILL SMITHSON (O.S.)
Spirits are high and the music is
fucking motherfucking sand in my
eye --
PAN PAST CNN REPORTER BILL SMITHSON, 45, in white safari
jacket over Desert Storm fatigues, cleaning his eye; nearby
a cluster of ROWDY SOLDIERS who are mugging into the camera.
DOLLY TO ARCHIE GATES, 55, Lieutenant Colonel, Special
Forces, wearing sunglasses, talking to HAVICHON, a FRENCH
Special Forces Captain on CRUTCHES with a broken leg.
ARCHIE GATES
Is that what you got from this
experience? A goddamn watch?
HAVICHON
Ees a great fucking watch.
Close up: portrait of a sheik on a Rolex.
ARCHIE GATES
There's 700 million in gold out
there and you're fucking around
with a watch?
HAVICHON
Bon dieu de merde, that's a lot of
gold, man.
ARCHIE GATES
One bunker of gold and we retire
from this horseshit, Hashy--
BILL SMITHSON
Gates.
ARCHIE GATES
Just a second. The problem, Hash,
is how do you find it?
HAVICHON
Like one sowsan bunker out sair --
ARCHIE GATES
Maybe two sowsan bunker out sair,
Hash, how do you find Saddam's
bullion?
BILL SMITHSON
Could I have some help over here,
for Chrissakes?
ARCHIE GATES
My goodness, Bill, what seems to
be the problem?
BILL SMITHSON
I'm trying to do a story here and
the fucking sand is blowing in my
face --
ARCHIE GATES
You want me to stop the sand? I
can't do anything about that.
BILL SMITHSON
No, you're too busy talking about
the fucking gold, which by the way
makes a great story if you'd get
me a goddamn lead on it --
ARCHIE GATES
I think the Saddam story goes more
for the jugular, journalistically
speaking, I mean, he's still here
beating the shit out of his
country.
BILL SMITHSON
Would you just be my guide and not
my fucking producer? You're my
guide.
ARCHIE GATES
OK, go do your celebration story,
Bill.
SMASH TO: Rowdy soldiers mug for Smithson's camera.
SOLDIER #5
We're number one.
SOLDIER #6
Waaaa-hooooo--
BILL SMITHSON
You're heroes.
SOLDIER #6
We're heroes.
SOLDIER #7
Give war a chance.
BILL SMITHSON
You've exorcised the ghosts of
Vietnam with a clear moral
imperative --
SOLDIER #5
Is that what we did?
BILL SMITHSON
Where the hell are you going?
Archie is walking off with CATHY DAITCH a young reporter.
ARCHIE GATES
I'll be right back.
BILL SMITHSON
I don't want you helping other
reporters, goddamn it.
SOLDIER #1
We kicked ass.
SOLDIER #6
We didn't get rid of fucking
Saddam --
SOLDIER #8
Which totally sucks a big dick.
SOLDIER #6
Those people are getting reemed --
SOLDIER #7
Bullshit, we saved Kuwait, man.
BILL SMITHSON
Who's getting reemed? The Shiites?
SOLDIER #8
I don't know who they are, man --
SOLDIER #6
We got big firepower but we ain't
saving them --
SOLDIER #5
Fuck that, we liberated Kuwait.
SOLDIER #1
Weehaaaaaaa.
Five soldiers chant Lee Greenwood's anthem, "Proud to Be An
American" into Smithson's camera --
SOLDIERS (CHANT)
'If tomorrow all the things were
gone that I worked for all my life
and I had to start again with just
my children and my wife--'
WIDE, HIGH ANGLE DOLLYING CRANE OF BIG TENT CITY
SOLDIERS (CHANT OS)
'I'd thank my lucky stars to --
Dissolve to POV from chopper - night - of twinkling lights of
vast U.S. Army camp below.
"Proud to Be An America" blasts. CHOPPER PILOTS sing off key.
CHOPPER PILOTS
'--be livin' here today because
the flag still stands for freedom
and they can't take that
awayyyyy --'
INT. LARGE ARMY TENT - NIGHT
"Proud To Be An American" BLASTS on as
Troy, wearing a checked Arab headdress is paraded on
shoulders. He holds up a Coke can in one hand and a Bud can
in the other, like torches.
TROY
(screaming the song)
And I'm proud I to be an American,
where at least I know I'm free.
And I won't forget the men who
died, who gave that right to me.
And I'd gladly stand up; next to
you and defend her still today.
Cause there ain't no doubt I love
this land, God bless the U S A --
Soldiers scream and go nuts.
Beer is sputtered from soldiers' mouths.
"I Can't Do Nothing For Ya Man" by Public Enemy blasts.
WALTER WOGOMAN, 19, quiet, tall, Southern operates two
parallel boom boxes like a DJ.
A Soldier rapidly peels down one Bruce Lee poster on top of
another, like a flip-book animating Bruce Lee. Vig wearing
a bandage across his nose from the fight on the berm does a
series of cheerleader-like karate arm movements.
Soldiers whip brightly painted toy footballs at Troy. He
whips the balls back, is tackled over a table, crashes.
Soldiers -- Vig, Walter, others -- scream viscerally as the
music blasts. Two soldiers fire their fingers like pistols
at Troy on the floor screaming like a fierce animal.
TROY
Rahhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
Vig screams into Troy's face at point blank range.
VIG
Rahhhhhhhhh.
TROY
Rahhhhhhhhhhhhh.
CAPTAIN VAN METER
Goddamn it, where the fuck did
this beer come from we gotta take
more Iraqis prisoner tomorrow.
EXT. IRAQI DESERT - DAY
WIDE SHOT - HUNDREDS OF IRAQIS walking in the desert, hands
raised above their heads.
TRANSLATOR (MEGAPHONE)
Hasnala shi aluno quibaan --
CAPTAIN VAN METER
We will not hurt you. Lay down
your weapons, get on the ground --
TWO IRAQIS with bad face wounds get medical help.
FIVE IRAQIS
on their knees, plead for mercy in Arabic as they disrobe.
They grab and kiss Troy Barlow's hand, as he holds his M-16
on the begging Iraqis.
TROY
It's cool, no one's gonna hurt
you --
Vig whips out his big Thunder 5 pistol and points it in their
faces.
VIG
Did you rape and torture anybody
in Kuwait, Abdul?
The Iraqis wail for mercy. Troy pushes Vig's pistol away.
TROY
You're making them all hysterical.
Vig points the big pistol at an OLDER IRAQI OFFICER who is
the only one not taking his clothes off.
VIG
Take your fucking rags off, take
this off. No comprende English,
motherfucker?
TROY
What is your fucking problem,
Conrad?
VIG
I'm trying to git him to obey the
spirit of things but he won't take
his rags off.
TROY
(leans down)
Sir? We need you to disrobe like
all the other towel heads, OK?
The Officer does not move, Troy punches his head once. Vig
and Walter forcibly pull the Iraqi Officer's pants off. Troy
takes out a bottle of aspirin, eats two.
VIG
Whoa, it's a freaky thing, Troy.
Vig points to the Officer's bare buttocks, where a rolled up
piece of paper is sticking out --
TROY
There's a document in that guy's
ass, Conrad.
VIG
That's the freaky thing.
WALTER
Do you think he ate it?
TROY
It wouldn't come out perfect like
that if he ate it.
Troy pulls out a latex glove out of his pocket.
TROY
Go get it, Private.
IRAQI OFFICER
Hasa man timal!
The Officer screams in protest and is forcibly subdued by
Walter as Vig, wearing the glove, slowly pulls the rolled up,
greasy paper from the Officer's ass -- Troy looks disgusted.
TROY
Open it up.
VIG
You only gave me one glove.
TROY
I'm sorry I don't have another,
but you gotta open it up. That's
how the chain of command works.
Vig takes out a U.S. Army pen and uses it to unroll the
greasy paper and lie it flat on the sand.
CLOSE UP - THE RUMPLED PAPER
is a handwritten map, with scant Arabic writing, a few spare
roads, numbers, and three small boxes.
VIG
What the hell is that?
TROY
Important enough to squeeze your
cheeks for.
INT. TELEVISION TRUCK - DAY
In the half-light of dozens of TV monitors playing Iraqi news
from around the world, Archie Gates madly humps CATHY DAITCH
on a lawn chair which is slamming into the monitors.
CATHY DAITCH
You are a trained warrior, trained
warrior, trained warrior, Jesus
Christ, Colonel!
TV monitors crash to the floor as she climaxes. Archie lays
on the floor catching his breath, stares at a sideways
monitor of soldiers celebrating; she stands, dresses.
CATHY DAITCH
(breathless)
What's Bill got?
ARCHIE GATES
Just the celebration story.
CATHY DAITCH
That's it?
ARCHIE GATES
That's it --
ARCHIE GATES
How about you? Did you find
anything?
CATHY DAITCH
It could be another bullshit lead
but I need you to help me find a
guy who might have something on
the gold --
ARCHIE GATES
Who's the guy?
CATHY DAITCH
Somebody Barlow, maybe in Company
B--
ARCHIE GATES
Barlow.
CATHY DAITCH
Got a map out of a prisoner's head.
ARCHIE GATES
Out of a prisoner's head?
CATHY DAITCH
Or his ear, or his ass, or his
dick, and they got like a fifty
page full-color mini atlas of
Saddam's bunkers --
ARCHIE GATES
Out of a guy's dick?
The door explodes open and two MPs grab Archie, pants around
his ankles, and drag him from the truck.
EXT. TELEVISION TRUCK - DAY
Archie is faced by an OLDER TWO STAR GENERAL (GENERAL PYE),
a YOUNGER ONE STAR GENERAL (GENERAL HORN).
GENERAL PYE
This is not the way we service the
media, Major. Stop her --
WHIP PAN TO Cathy runs away as she dresses, MPs grab her.
MP
You are in violation of code 37D,
grinding Major Gates.
They let her go. Soldiers in gas suits laugh.
ARCHIE GATES
You guys have no manners
whatsoever --
Bill Smithson runs up, agitated.
BILL SMITHSON
I told you he was with her --
GENERAL PYE
We're handling this, OK?
The MP pushes Smithson away.
BILL SMITHSON
I wanted help with the gold story,
and he took off on me--
ARCHIE GATES
That's a lot of bullshit.
Smithson is walked away. Archie pulls his pants up.
GENERAL PYE
I give you a prestige job in the
media war of the century and the
guy feels neglected.
ARCHIE GATES
I'm helping him plenty with his
big celebration feature -- Where
did you get this fucking star?
Archie suddenly reaches out and grabs the corner of General
Horn's collar, with its one star.
GENERAL HORN
They made me a general, pal.
ARCHIE GATES
For what? I don't even know what
we did over here, but Schwartzkopf
gets a book deal, you get a star,
Powell gets to be fucking
president--
GENERAL HORN
Are you high? This is a huge win
for us.
ARCHIE GATES
Running the press pool's a real
big win for me.
GENERAL PYE
You want us to kill more Americans
to occupy Iraq?
ARCHIE GATES
I'm just saying it's ironic,
that's all.
GENERAL HORN
What the fuck is ironic?
ARCHIE GATES
We got the biggest army in the
world here but Iraq still has the
d-bag dictator in power, but
that's how the world works I guess.
GENERAL PYE
Just take care of Smithson and
maybe he'll hook you up to consult
on movies.
GENERAL HORN
It's either that or be a security
guard when you retire.
ARCHIE GATES
Fuck you, Ron.
GENERAL HORN
I'm a general now, you can't say
fuck you to me.
ARCHIE GATES
OK, sir, but there's another thing
I'd like to say, if you don't mind.
GENERAL HORN
Go right ahead, Colonel.
Archie leans wild-eyed into Horn's face and whispers --
ARCHIE GATES
Fuuuuuck yooouuuu, Ronnnnn.
INT. CAPTAIN'S TENT - DAY
SPLASH -- rubbing alcohol is poured over Vig's extended hand
by DOC ELGIN, 25, stocky, black, no nonsense.
TROY
You've washed your hands like a
thousand times, Conrad.
VIG
Lord knows what vermin live in the
butt of a dune koon.
DOC
Why do you let this cracker follow
you around?
TROY
He's a good kid.
DOC
He's a wall-eyed cracker.
TROY
He's got no high school, man, he's
from a group home in Jackson --
DOC
I don't give a shit if he's from
Johannesburg. I don't want to hear
dune koon or sand nigger from him
or anybody.
VIG
Captain uses those terms.
TROY
The point is, Conrad, 'towel head'
and 'camel jockey' are perfectly
good substitutes.
DOC
Exactly.
VIG
I'm sorry, man, it's a little
confusing is all.
DOC
What can I do for your headache?
Doc Elgin opens a case full of pill bottles.
TROY
Got any Vicadan?
DOC
All gone. How about Caffergot?
TROY
Excellent. Let's translate my
Iraqi ass map.
Troy pops the pills, Doc pulls a document from a folder and
opens it as he hovers over a table with Troy and Vig.
TROY
Van Meter's at the big pow wow?
DOC
We're cool for at least three
hours, but keep Walter on the door.
Walter stands by the door wearing night vision goggles.
TROY
Would you take those fucking
things off?
WALTER
I never got to use night vision.
TROY
They don't work during the day and
stand outside the tent.
Doc unfolds a big aerial-photo map of the Iraqi desert, next
to the rumpled ass map.
DOC
These are definitely Saddam's
bunkers near Karbala.
TROY
What's inside?
DOC
According to Intelligence --
Picasso, Armani, Rolex, Mercedes,
Sony you name it -- Kuwait was
Muslim Beverly Hills and Saddam
sacked it.
VIG
Man, get an awesome stereo system
with like ten BOS speakers --
TROY
Silver Lexus convertible.
DOC
Lexus doesn't make a convertible.
TROY
Yes, they do.
DOC
Infiniti has one coming.
TROY
You're wrong.
DOC
You can't get a car home from here
anyway.
TROY
If I get enough Rolexes I could
buy one when I got home.
VIG
One gold Rolex, I get a very fine
split level outside Jackson.
TROY
My one problem, see, is the risk
here --
DOC
What risk? We already did the
risk. I signed up last year to
bank some computer training--
TROY
Tell me about it.
DOC
Next thing I know I'm sitting here
waiting to get hit by a Scud. I
put my life on the line for what
purpose I'm not sure, and now the
good Lord puts this map in my
path --
TROY
He could put a land mine in your
path if we try to find this
place --
DOC
You're safe with me.
TROY
Cuz you have a galactic plutonium
forcefield.
DOC
I don't talk about it. But I do
have a ring of Jesus fire.
TROY
You have a ring of Jesus fire.
DOC
I was fire baptized.
VIG
I was baptized in water.
DOC
I'm fire baptized.
TROY
I don't even know what water
baptism means.
DOC
For those who understand, no
explanation is necessary; for
those who don't, no explanation
will suffice. You can benefit from
my Jesus ring if you do right by
me, you got that?
TROY
OK.
CUT TO
POV WALTER'S NIGHT VISION --
BLURRY IMAGE OF ARCHIE WALKING right up to Walter.
WALTER
This tent is restricted --
ARCHIE GATES
Get the fuck out of my way.
WALTER
May day, may day --
CUT TO
Troy and Doc scramble to put the maps under the table.
ARCHIE GATES
Good afternoon.
He walks up to them.
ARCHIE GATES
Would this be the proctology tent?
DOC
Yes, sir, I mean, no, sir.
ARCHIE GATES
Then maybe it's the urology tent.
TROY
Captain's at a staff meeting.
ARCHIE GATES
That's OK, I'm not looking for a
proctologist or a urologist I'm
looking for Sargeant Barlow.
Archie fixes his gaze on Troy, walks up, reaches under the
table, and takes the map, smells his fingers.
ARCHIE GATES
You're on the path to truth when
you smell shit, isn't that what
they say?
VIG
I don't recognize you, sir. Are
you in this division?
DOC
He's not in this division. He's
Special Forces.
Troy and Vig are impressed.
DOC
He's the guy taking Bill Smithson
around.
ARCHIE GATES
And you would be the Three Wise
Men, right, Mappy, Slappy, and
Pappy --
He points in order to Doc, Vig, and Troy, who picks up his
family photo button.
ARCHIE GATES
That leaves Cappy outside.
CUT TO
Walter, outside the tent, practices blocking positions.
WALTER
Damn. Freeze. Do not pass. Hold
it, freeze. Stop. Freeze.
CUT TO
VIG
His name is Walter.
ARCHIE GATES
Did you good soldiers present this
map to Captain Van Meter?
TROY
Not yet.
ARCHIE GATES
Then I'll take it to him.
Troy stands and grabs the map.
TROY
We'll take it to him. Sir.
ARCHIE GATES
It won't do either of us any good
then, will it?
TROY
He's our commander, sir. We'd have
to tell him you took it.
Both Troy and Archie hold the map, staring at each other.
Everyone is tense.
ARCHIE GATES
It could be nothing but a sandy
love letter from one Eye-raqi to
another --
TROY
It's a series of bunkers near
Karbala.
ARCHIE GATES
Maybe.
TROY
Not maybe, definitely. Recon
photos match the map.
ARCHIE GATES
May I look at the goddamn map?
Troy lets go. Archie holds the map up to the light. He then
pours some of Doc's rubbing alcohol on the map, and holds it
to the light again. He puts the map on the table, turns the
light off and clicks on an infra-red flashlight he pulls out.
A completely different map appears in green markings.
VIG
Dag.
ARCHIE GATES
That's what makes Rangers badass,
we get the best flashlights.
They stare at the new map in the infrared glow, captivated.
ARCHIE GATES
Still looks like a series of three
bunkers in three villages. A bit
farther to the west.
DOC
Seventy-five klicks north.
ARCHIE GATES
More like 65.
TROY
Much closer to Karbala.
ARCHIE GATES
Leave at dawn, back by lunch, not
a big deal. Of course --
He turns the overhead light back on.
ARCHIE GATES
-- there could be nothing inside
but starving Arabs and stolen
watches, but I think it's worth
checking out, even if I have to do
it with clueless reservists like
you.
They look at him.
ARCHIE GATES
I mean, I could take the map, but
you could talk, it starts to
become a pain in the ass for me,
so we'll do the gold together.
DOC
What gold?
ARCHIE GATES
You don't even know what's inside
these bunkers, do you?
VIG
Rolexes.
ARCHIE GATES
Rolexes are swell, but I'm talking
about Kuwaiti bullion.
VIG
You mean the little cubes you put
in hot water for soup?
ARCHIE GATES
No. Not the little cubes you put
in hot water for soup.
TROY
Gold bricks.
ARCHIE GATES
5 kilos each, $50,000 in today's
market.
VIG
For one gold brick?
ARCHIE GATES
I'm sure Mr. Hussein has divided
his bricks. into many different
hiding places, but just one hiding
place should be easy to take, and
that would be enough to get us out
of our day jobs. Unless the three
kings are in love with their day
jobs.
Dolly: Troy, Doc, Vig stare at Archie.
FANTASY - EXT. LOS ANGELES - DAY
SILENT - Troy walks in white shirtsleeves, dark tie, pulling
a cart with a salesman's black case on it over a curb.
FANTASY - INT. OFFICE
SILENT - Troy kneels at a disassembled photocopier, tools and
parts all around him, opens a bag of toner, which spills
black dust all over his white shirt
FANTASY - INT. KENNEDY AIRPORT
SILENT - Doc is a red cap. He lifts suitcases from the trunk
of a black Mercedes while a rich white father (mother and two
small children behind) tells him to be careful.
FANTASY - EXT. MISSISSIPPI WOODS
Vig fires his pistols with fury at a series of stuffed
animals on logs -- blowing the stuffed animals to
smithereens.
BACK TO
VIG
I don't really have a day job.
TROY
What about the risk of taking a
Humvee and all that --
ARCHIE GATES
We do this shit all the time.
VIG
What else did you do, sir?
ARCHIE GATES
In Panama we went sailing in
Noriega's boats.
TROY
Wow.
ARCHIE GATES
In Vietnam, we got a big gold
Buddha, which we unfortunately
dropped in a swamp by accident.
DOC
What about Iraqi soldiers?
ARCHIE GATES
Let's see. They had the shit
bombed out them for two months,
they're deserting all over the
place, and they've completely
surrendered to us. That's a beaten
army in every sense of the word.
He looks at them.
ARCHIE GATES
You are now under my command,
salute --
They salute him. He straightens Troy's salute.
ARCHIE GATES
What's the guy's name outside?
TROY
Walter.
ARCHIE GATES
Cappy.
Walter comes in.
ARCHIE GATES
You will take Bill Smithson on a
special mission to find the gold
story, but it will be a
meaningless ride that lasts all
morning and takes him nowhere near
Karbala, is that clear?
WALTER
How am I gonna get out of the
company?
ARCHIE GATES
Your captain will be detained by
a friend of mine.
VIG
Is it true you got to take an
enemy ear to be Special Forces?
ARCHIE GATES
No, but if you talk to anybody
about this, I'll kill you.
Vig smile fades as he looks into Archie's cold stare.
EXT. DESERT CAMP - WIDE SHOT - DAWN
Three figures in fatigues crouch low to the ground as they
run to a motorcycle and side car. Walter kickstarts the
motorcycle. PACO the cameraman sits behind Walter with a
video camera. Walter's face is painted beige and brown with
camouflage spots, so is Bill Smithson's, as he crouches in
the sidecar and dramatically gives Walter the thumb's up.
EXT. VAN METER'S TENT - DAY
Cathy Daitch stands next to a cameraman filming Van Meter
while another man holds a boom over Van Meter's head.
CAPTAIN VAN METER
How about if I lean on it, like
this?
CATHY DAITCH
Very dashing.
CAPTAIN VAN METER
Does it look too posed?
CATHY DAITCH
Would you ever stand like that?
Van Meter tries a couple of poses.
CAPTAIN VAN METER
I think I might, Jesus, this feels
stupid.
CATHY DAITCH
You'll get used to it. First
question: did you dream as a boy
you'd be commanding an infantry
company in a desert war?
CAPTAIN VAN METER
As a boy, I wanted to be either a
veterinarian or a CIA
sharpshooter --
EXT. DESERT - MOVING HUMVEE - MORNING
Bach's Gloria, from Mass in B Minor plays as
Pow pow pow, Vig fires his big pistol into the desert.
DOC
Pull.
Troy throws a painted football into the desert. Doc fires the
M-16 and blows the ball to pieces.
Archie drives and moves his hand to the Bach.
The convertible Humvee is loaded with weaponry and gear, a
mounted 60 mm machine gun, a Bart Simpson doll on the grill.
The Humvee rolls into the vast desert, littered with burned
out tanks, black craters, overturned vehicles, no people.
DOC
Pull.
Troy throws another ball, Doc blows it away.
TROY
Pull.
Doc throws a football from the moving Humvee, Troy fires a
pistol and misses the ball as it bounces to the desert.
TROY
I gave you a better arc, Doc.
DOC
What are you talking about?
TROY
I threw the ball in a higher arc
that was easier for you to hit.
DOC
Bullshit.
VIG
Blacks make better receivers than
quarterbacks.
TROY
Stop speaking right now, Conrad.
DOC
Warren Moon is an excellent
quarterback.
VIG
The Oilers have gone nowhere
behind Warren Moon.
DOC
Randall Cunningham.
TROY
Don't get down in the mud with
him, Doc.
VIG
The Eagles will never get to the
Superbowl with him.
Archie moves his hand to the Bach.
DOC
Doug Williams took the Redskins to
the Superbowl and won, OK?
TROY
We can all agree there are many
excellent black quarterbacks.
Doc throws a ball. Vig fires his giant pistol twice and
misses.
DOC
Hit it, you sorry-assed cracker --
VIG
This gun's too heavy to shoot
one-handed like a movie star --
Vig fires: blam, blam, bam. The Humvee stops abruptly.
ARCHIE GATES
Shut the fuck up.
They sit in embarrassed silence; the joyous Bach choir plays.
EXT. DESERT DAY
No more music. Troy, Doc, and Vig stand spread apart. They
wear white anti-gas suits and hold pistols and drink from
plastic water bottles. A bomb crater is nearby, a wrecked,
burned truck to the side, a SKINNY COW meanders.
ARCHIE GATES
When we pull up to the bunker, the
approach is something called
violence of action, which is
standard in special operations. It
means your movement is so fast and
decisive that the guards are
frozen and we haven't fired a
single shot.
Troy kicks at something in the sand -- and a decayed human
arm springs out, attached to a body with a half-rotted face.
TROY
Shit.
ARCHIE GATES
We dropped a lot of bombs out here
and we buried some guys alive --
VIG
What do you mean?
ARCHIE GATES
Bradleys with big plows cut
through the berms and covered the
trenches --
FANTASY - A HUGE PLOW
on the front of a Bradley pushes sand right TOWARD THE CAMERA
ARCHIE GATES (O.S.)
They had the option to surrender,
but they chose to die for their
country.
DOLLY INTO five terrified Iraqis, eyes open with fear, as the
sand rolls over them.
BACK TO THE SCENE
ARCHIE GATES
Let's rehearse.
EXT. DESERT - LATER
They sit in the Humvee and hold their pistols ready.
ARCHIE GATES
We'll say the cow is the primary
guard outside the bunker. We pull
up fast, and stop short.
TROY
Got it.
ARCHIE GATES
And -- Go.
The cow stares as the Humvee pulls up to it fast. Troy and
Doc jump out, pistols drawn, flank the cow --
The cow steps back, and explodes.
Troy and Doc stand splattered with cow entrails. The cow's
head lands with a thud on the hood of the Humvee.
ARCHIE GATES
Who's hurt?
DOC
It's all cow, I think.
VIG
Yeah, it's all cow.
He picks cow entrails off himself.
DOC
They said this was swept for mines.
ARCHIE GATES
Mines are forever, Doc. They never
get all of 'em.
TROY
(low murmur)
'If you could, help me Rhonda,
help help me Rhonda --'
Archie watches Troy.
ARCHIE GATES
Did you guys see any action at all?
VIG
Only night bombing on CNN, except
for Troy's supercool shooting that
guy in the neck--
Archie takes Vig's BIG PISTOL and EMPTIES THE SHELLS and puts
them into his pocket.
ARCHIE GATES
Is sepsis cool?
VIG
What's sepsis?
DOC
Infection of the blood.
ARCHIE GATES
As in septic tank, because that's
what happens when a bullet hits
you. The lead tears in there --
FANTASY - INT. STOMACH MUSCLE AND TISSUE
Slow motion, a bullet pierces flesh, makes a cavity --
ARCHIE GATES (O.S.)
Makes a cavity of dead tissue that
closes down in a convulsive motion
typical of all gunshot wounds. The
cavity fills up with bile and
bacteria and you're fucked.
Bile fluid fills the cavity.
BACK TO THE SCENE
ARCHIE GATES
But other than a wound that
blinds, paralyzes, or castrates,
the worst wound I've ever seen is
something called tension pneumo
thorax --
DOC
I heard something about that --
VIG
Tension pneumo what?
ARCHIE GATES
A bullet, or a blade doesn't kill
you, but makes a little hole in
the lung, so every time you
breathe, a little air leaks into
the chest cavity, which starts to
fill up like a balloon. And that
balloon starts to push your organs
to the side, crushing your lung,
your liver, your heart. Your own
breathing kills you, one breath at
a time -- kinda like a job you
can't stand or a bad lie you once
told.
DOC
That's not fatal, they can stop it.
ARCHIE GATES
If you know how to make another
little hole in the chest to let
the air out, just like you would
with an overinflated tire.
They look at Archie, scared by this.
TROY
Can we play the Beach Boys when we
go in?
DOC
The goddamn Beach Boys.
TROY
I'm not ashamed of liking the
Beach Boys. It calms me down.
Better than Mozart.
ARCHIE GATES
Bach.
EXT. DESERT - DAY - HIGH WIDE SHOT
'I Get Around' by The Beach Boys BLASTS as the Humvee speeds
along. A big American flag flaps in the breeze from a pole at
the back of the Hummer.
The Humvee drives fast into the central square of a small
village of low, sand-colored stucco buildings and shanties.
Vig drives as the Humvee speeds around the town square,
zooming past scared Shiites in black robes, a few skinny
dogs, a few bewildered Iraqi soldiers.
VIG
Where's the bunker?
ARCHIE GATES
It should be right --
He studies the map and points to a decayed green building.
ARCHIE GATES
There.
Vig jerks the wheel right. They drive fast.
ARCHIE GATES
No -- there.
Archie points left. Vig jerks the wheel left, drives straight
toward a low cement building with two Iraqi soldiers in front.
Iraqi soldiers look scared as the Humvee drives up, like it's
going to hit them, and stops, flag fluttering in the breeze.
Vig stands and speaks into a megaphone.
VIG
We are the Army of the United
States of America. We are here to
protect you. Remain calm.
Troy and Doc leap from the Humvee with pistols drawn and
their free hands held up in a 'halt' sign. The TWO IRAQI
GUARDS look stunned as Troy and Doc simply take their machine
guns and put the Iraqis face down on the ground. Troy and Doc
pull out plastic twist hand-cuffs, as used in urban riots.
Archie bounds forward holding up a thick white document.
ARCHIE GATES
Orders from President Bush, step
aside.
Troy finishes handcuffing one of the Iraqi soldiers, as a
gaunt mother, with a baby in her arms, opens her blouse,
revealing her small breasts. Other peasants gather.
IRAQI MOTHER
No milk. Baby milk.
Troy looks shocked until Archie suddenly pushes him past the
Iraqi mother and to the door of the bunker, which Doc holds.
INT. BUNKER - DAY
Five IRAQI SOLDIERS look disoriented and scared as they hold
their hands up in the air.
ARCHIE GATES
Do not panic. Step outside --
EXT. BUNKER - DAY
VIG
(into the megaphone)
We are here for your protection
and safety.
Iraqi women and children kiss Vig's feet.
The five Iraqi soldiers exit the bunker with their hands
raised, and the starved Shiite civilians spit and throw
stones at them while 'I Get Around' keeps playing.
VIG
Ya'll be cool now, this is the
U.S. Marines in charge here.
INT. STAIRWELL - BUNKER
Archie runs down the narrow stairs of the bunker, followed by
Troy and Doc.
INT. BASEMENT OF BUNKER - DAY
Doc lashes an Iraqi's hands behind his back and cuffs him.
Troy shoots the door lock with his pistol. Then backs up and
gives it a running shoulder. The door doesn't budge.
TROY
Shit.
He holds his shoulder in pain. Archie kicks the door
repeatedly. Troy joins him, it finally flies open.
TROY
Freeze.
Troy is embraced by an Iraqi soldier, about 25.
FRIENDLY IRAQI
I am love United States of
Freedom. I am hate Saddam.
Troy tries some karate moves, jerking his elbows to dislodge
the Iraqi from the bear hug --
TROY
Ya -- ya -- ha --
Doc points his pistol in the Iraqi's face.
DOC
Let him go.
The Iraqi throws his hands in the air.
FRIENDLY IRAQI
No problem, my friend.
Archie goes to a series of WOODEN CRATES the size of file
cabinets, where Doc helps Archie take off his back pack.
Archie pulls out a bolt cutter and a pneumatic saw, both
attached to a small air tank - and opens the crate, which is
filled with hundreds of Kuwaiti passports.
FRIENDLY IRAQI
You look for the chemical weapon?
TROY
No. We look for the gold.
They use the power tools to open the second crate -- also
filled with hundreds of passports.
ARCHIE GATES
Where's the gold?
FRIENDLY IRAQI
They move the gold.
Archie pulls out the infrared map and shows it to the Iraqi,
who says nothing.
DOC
Kill him.
ARCHIE GATES
Not yet.
TROY
Kill him now.
They point their guns. It's a show. Archie holds the map.
ARCHIE GATES
Where?
FRIENDLY IRAQI
(points to map)
This bunker. I'll take you.
EXT. BUNKER - DAY
FOUR NEW IRAQI SOLDIERS, armed with rifles, run from the far
side of the square and start shooting.
30 rock-throwing Shiite scatter at the gunfire. TWO MEN fall
to the ground as they are shot.
CHILD
Ma-Maa.
Vig looks terrified as the crowd scatters, leaving him alone
as he points his big unloaded pistol. The soldiers point
their rifles as they come towards Vig, when suddenly two of
them look to the side and shout.
ARMED IRAQI SOLDIER
Ganan azwar!
PAN TO a shiny METAL TANKER TRUCK three hundred yards out,
bearing down fast on the village square.
The soldiers open fire on the truck.
INT - THE CAB OF THE TANKER TRUCK
The Shiite riding shotgun fires back, as the windshield
shatters on the truck. The driver is dead. The other Shiite
grabs the wheel.
BACK TO THE SCENE
Archie bursts out the front door, followed by Troy and Doc.
They freeze as --
The tanker truck careens sideways toward them, 50 feet away.
An Iraqi soldier fires a grenade-launcher off his shoulder
which explodes the container on the back of the truck --
Milk explodes everywhere, gushing around the wheels of the
Humvee and the feet of Archie and the others.
Shiite women with plastic containers and ceramic jugs rush
out from alleys and try to scoop up the milk. Other Shiites
crowd the Humvee and climb in.
Iraqi soldiers drag two bodies from the cab of the truck.
Troy and Doc point their guns in the crowd.
ARCHIE GATES
Move. Out of the way.
Archie shoves Shiite peasants out of the Humvee.
SHIITE WOMAN
Hos-pital.
She holds a SHIRTLESS BOY of 7 with a bandage around his
entire chest. Doc pushes her off the Humvee.
SHIITE MAN
America help.
He grabs Archie. Troy shoves the man off the vehicle. Vig
starts the engine.
ARCHIE GATES
Give them MRE's.
Troy rips open a large duffel and starts handing out Army
Meal Rations to the crowd -- Vig leans on the horn.
The friendly Iraqi jumps into the rear of the Hummer as it
starts to pull away. Archie shoves the friendly Iraqi out,
and he lands on his ass in the swarm of chasing Shiites.
Archie and Troy look back at the debacle as they pull away.
EXT. DESERT MARSH - DAY
Raging oil fires, 50 feet high -- billowing black smoke.
Walter drives the motorcycle through the smoke. Paco the
Cameraman sits on back. Bill Smithson sits in the sidecar.
BILL SMITHSON
This is boring, I already did this
damn story, goddamn it, where the
hell is the gold?
WALTER
How about rare pelican migration
out by the marshes?
BILL SMITHSON
What?
WALTER
These brave pelicans are migrating
in spite of massive pollution --
BILL SMITHSON
Fuck that. Stop the bike.
Walter keeps driving.
EXT. DESERT - DAY
Doc gets out of the stopped Humvee, shaken, and walks around.
DOC
I'm all right, I'm cool.
He lies down and breathes heavily with a hand on his chest.
Archie gets out and walks around, agitated, clearly upset.
ARCHIE GATES
What is the art of war, because it
is not for killing people, it's a
stratagem to give life to many by
killing the evil perpetrated by a
few -- I am burning up in this
goddamn suit --
He angrily takes off his gas suit; boxers and sweat-drenched
green T-shirt underneath. Troy and Vig guzzle water.
ARCHIE GATES
Discriminating use of violence as
a last resort, and even then,
carefully, surgically, that's what
I learned, that's what I'm good
at. But now they underestimate all
this, bomb the same towns for six
weeks and still leave the scumbag
dictator to starve and butcher his
own people.
The others, all drenched in sweat, take off their gas suits.
TROY
(agitated)
I don't even know what happened
back there. Civilians were
spitting on their own soldiers;
the soldiers were shooting the
civilians and ignoring us --
DOC
They already surrendered to us.
Now they're after Shiites.
VIG
What exactly is a Shiite?
ARCHIE GATES
They make up the ethnic majority
but they don't have any power.
When Bush pulled us out, he told
them to start a civil war to bring
Saddam down, and now they're
getting wasted.
VIG
(totally puzzled)
The civil war? How could it be the
civil war?
FANTASY - STOCK FOOTAGE: UNION SOLDIERS FIGHT DIXIE REBELS
BACK TO THE SCENE
Vig looks puzzled.
TROY
It's a war inside the same
country, Conrad. That's a civil
war.
Archie chucks each of them MARINE UNIFORMS without name tags
which everyone puts on, except Troy.
ARCHIE GATES
Put these on, we are now U.S.
Marines.
TROY
I can't do this, OK? Because I've
got a family and if I shit in a
bag the rest of my life cuz I got
shot after the war's already over
that would be pretty fucking
stupid, wouldn't it?
ARCHIE GATES
What is the most important thing
in life?
TROY
What the fuck are you talking
about?
ARCHIE GATES
What is it?
TROY
Did you hear anything I said.
VIG
Respect is the most important.
ARCHIE GATES
Too dependent on other people.
DOC
Money.
ARCHIE GATES
Comes and goes, man.
TROY
What is this bullshit?
DOC
What's the most important thing?
ARCHIE GATES
Necessity. That's what dictates
what will happen at any given time
in life. Necessity says we don't
spend American lives taking out
Saddam, which leaves Saddam the
necessity of taking out the
Shiites so he can stay in power,
which leaves us to take the gold.
TROY
We could've been shot.
ARCHIE GATES
Did you notice they didn't touch
us? We decimated their entire
country. They're scared shitless
of us. [looks at his watch]
There's time to try another
bunker. I say we go.
DOC
Let's do it.
VIG
Rock and roll.
TROY
OK. And I'll be wearing
fashionable kevlar. As a necessity.
He pulls a vest out of the Humvee.
EXT. MARSH
The motorcycle is stopped by the marsh. Siberian pelicans fly
all around. Many lie dead on the ground. Bill Smithson paces
with a cell phone.
BILL SMITHSON
(on cell phone)
I'm at some goddamn marsh, all
we've seen are Russian cranes.
WALTER
Pelicans.
BILL SMITHSON
(on the cell phone)
I think the Saddam story goes more
for the jugular, journalistically
speaking, Al. Let's grow some
balls and do the Shiite uprising,
for Christ's sake.
Bill Smithson closes the cell phone.
BILL SMITHSON
We're going north to do the
Shiites.
WALTER
I thought the gold was the hot
spot.
BILL SMITHSON
Karbala's the new hotspot, and
I'm driving.
WALTER
Military regulations, you cannot
drive.
Smithson mounts the bike. The cameraman sits on back. Walter
points his pistol at Smithson.
WALTER
Get off the vehicle, sir.
Smithson starts the bike.
WALTER
Don't make me shoot you, sir.
The bike pulls out, leaving him behind. He runs after the
bike and jumps into the side car.
EXT. COMPANY B CAMP - DAY
Captain Van Meter strolls, handling an M-16.
CAPTAIN VAN METER
The M-16 is the basic weapon of
the infantry. During Vietnam, it
was fully automatic.
GENERAL HORN (O.S.)
Doug?
CAPTAIN VAN METER
Yes, General.
GENERAL HORN
What the fuck are you doing?
CAPTAIN VAN METER
Well, I'm giving an interview to
CBS.
GENERAL HORN
Do you have authorization?
Van Meter pulls out a folded paper and gives it to the
general, who looks at it.
GENERAL HORN
No.
CAPTAIN VAN METER
No?
GENERAL HORN
Who gave you this?
CAPTAIN VAN METER
Major Gates.
GENERAL HORN
Archie Gates gave you this? Jesus
Christ, Doug, come with me.
CAPTAIN VAN METER
I don't get to do the interview?
GENERAL HORN
No, you don't get to do the
interview.
EXT. DESERT - DAY
ARCHIE GATES
Faster.
Bach's 'Gloria' plays loud as Vig drives and Archie stares
straight ahead as the Humvee picks up speed.
EXT. ANOTHER VILLAGE OUTSIDE KARBALA - DAY
The Hummer zips into a bigger village piazza with an old
fortress at one end, and races straight to the entrance to an
underground bunker in the middle of the piazza.
ARCHIE GATES
(into the megaphone)
United States Marine Corps. Put
your weapons down.
Troy and Doc leap out, hold pistols out at arm's length as
they accost TWO IRAQI SOLDIERS pointing rifles at them.
TROY
Drop your weapon.
DOC
Put it down.
Troy and Doc shove the two Iraqis face down in the dirt and
cuff their hands behind their backs.
VIG
Don't make me smoke your ass,
Abdul.
INT. SECOND IRAQI BUNKER - DAY
Archie runs down a narrow cement corridor, pistol held at
arm's length, white document in the other hand; followed by
Troy and Doc, pistols drawn.
An IRAQI SOLDIER steps into the corridor at the far end, sees
Archie coming, looks terrified, and runs back. Archie and
Troy run right past the scared Iraqi. Doc comes third,
slamming the Iraqi face down and cuffing him.
Archie kicks a door open and goes in, followed by Troy.
INT. INNER ROOM, SECOND IRAQI BUNKER - DAY
Archie and Troy burst in, pointing their guns aggressively.
TROY
Freeze.
A large room; walls lined with shelves full of brand new
appliances: blenders, cuisinarts, CD players, small TVs. A
huge portrait of Saddam Hussein covers one wall.
A television plays a rerun of 'Happy Days' in Arabic.
Another TV: CNN's first reports of the Rodney King beating.
An IRAQI CAPTAIN sits in a chair in front of the TVs.
TWO IRAQIS sit loading rifles. Two others sit at a radio.
They all jump to their feet when Archie bursts in, except for
the officer watching 'Happy Days' and CNN..
ARCHIE GATES
By order of the cease-fire signed
in Safwan, March 3, the United
States Marines hereby confiscate
all material stolen by Iraq from
the Emirate of Kuwait --
One of the rifle-loading Iraqis tries to run. Troy heads him
off with his pistol --
TROY
Down.
The other rifle-loader stands looking scared.
IRAQI RIFLE-LOADER
Isnam panan fatwa aznir --
WHIP PAN TO Doc, who turns the shortwave radio off, pushes
the TWO IRAQIS to the ground. One goes peacefully, the other
resists; Doc smacks him in the side of the head with his
pistol, which fires accidentally. Everyone grabs their heads
and ducks -- except Archie.
ARCHIE GATES
Never hit anyone with your pistol,
Doc.
DOC
Sorry about that.
Archie is offered a cuisinart by the Iraqi Captain.
IRAQI CAPTAIN
For wife.
ARCHIE GATES
I've been divorced three times.
Troy has one rifle Iraqi on the ground, but the second is on
his knees, putting a CD into a mini-stereo.
RIFLE IRAQI #2
Newest and best.
TROY
No, newest and best has better
noise reduction.
The Iraqi looks puzzled.
TROY
Less distortion. Get down on the
floor, OK?
He pushes the man face down, cuffs his hands. Olivia Newton-
John's "I Wanna Get Physical" PLAYS.
TROY
This is bad music, understand?
It's bad for you.
DOC (O.S.)
Hey --
WHIP PAN TO the resistant Iraqi struggles to break away and
Doc punches him in the head twice, the Iraqi starts crying.
ARCHIE GATES
(to Iraqi Captain)
Where's the gold, Captain? Tell us
so we don't have to kill you.
TROY
There's another room over here.
PAN TO Troy pointing to a narrow door in a corner of the
room. Archie kicks it open.
INT. INNER ROOM - DAY
A bound, naked SHIITE MAN IN GLASSES, clean shaven, sits on
the floor in a five foot square shallow metal box, four
inches deep, filled with water. There is an electric cable
going into the water. The naked Shiite in glasses shakes.
Troy watches Archie walk over and yank the cable out.
IRAQI SARGEANT
I am just do my job, buddy.
Archie pauses, then gives the Sargeant a backhand that sends
him flying to the corner. Archie steps on the man's wrist,
takes the pistol out of his hand. Troy watches.
Archie turns and sees TEN SHIITES across the room: 3 MEN, 3
WOMEN, 4 CHILDREN. The men and women are bound and GAGGED.
Archie steps toward the Shiites, but the INTERROGATOR, 35,
also a captain, steps in his way.
INTERROGATOR
These Shiite. Iraq problem. United
States is out now.
Archie stares at the INTERROGATOR with contempt.
INTERROGATOR
We take them outside, so it don't
bother you, OK, sir? Kata fanam.
The disarmed Iraqi Sargeant NODS and opens a small rear door
and pushes the Shiites out. Archie walks back to the main
room and points his pistol in the Captain's face.
ARCHIE GATES
Take us to the basement.
EXT. FRONT OF BUNKER TWO - DAY
Vig keeps the TWO CUFFED IRAQI GUARDS on the ground at gun
point as 15 SHIITES with crude clubs and sling shots encircle.
One of the Shiites shoots a rock from the slingshot and nails
a handcuffed Iraqi in the back of the head.
VIG
Don't start this shit again.
The Shiites back away as Vig motions with his big pistol.
VIG
I know ya'll Shiite gettin' yer
asses whipped -- Hey, what the
hell is going on here?
PAN TO the ten Shiites, and the naked Man with Glasses, who
is getting dressed, exiting the side of the bunker, ushered
by the unarmed Iraqi Sargeant.
VIG
Git on the fucking ground, Arab.
IRAQI SARGEANT
Prisoner stay. Gabar matan.
VIG
What the fuck are you talking
about?
Suddenly a SHIITE WOMAN runs up to the tortured Shiite Man
with Glasses and embraces him, sobbing. A LITTLE GIRL with
dirty casts on both broken arms runs up and hugs his legs.
The bound Shiite prisoners start to walk away from the
bunker, and the unarmed Sargeant has a fit.
IRAQI SARGEANT
Kinam vanir! Vanir!
He chases the prisoners, pushes them back. The free Shiites
shoot rocks and club him.
VIG
Goddamn it everybody calm down.
INT. BUNKER NUMBER TWO - DAY
Archie runs down several narrow sets of cement stairs,
followed by the Interrogator, the other Iraqi Captain, Troy,
and Doc. (SUBTITLED IN ENGLISH)
IRAQI CAPTAIN
It's my ass, donkey dick, Saddam
will shoot me dead.
INTERROGATOR
Saddam worries more about the
Shiite than the gold.
EXT. BUNKER - DAY
The Shiite crowd curses and spits on the Iraqi soldiers. The
Sargeant is beaten.
Suddenly an Iraqi armored truck with a mounted machine gun
races up and SEVEN IRAQI SOLDIERS pour out swinging clubs,
followed by an IRAQI MAJOR, about 45. The Iraqi soldiers
savagely beat the Shiites.
Vig looks horrified as he watches.
TWO SOLDIERS grab the Woman from the Man With Glasses, and
drag her into a circle with three other soldiers; the ten
year-old girl with dirty casts on both arms, screams and
punches at them.
The Man With Glasses is held down at knife point.
VIG
(into the megaphone)
This is the United States Military.
The Iraqi Major glances over at Vig, but the soldiers do not
stop brutalizing the Shiites -- they round up eight more
Shiites and make them lay face down.
INT. BASEMENT
Troy and Doc disarm TWO GUARDS outside a door in the basement.
Archie goes through the door, followed by the Iraqi
Interrogator and Captain.
INT. ROOM OF BUNKER 2 - DAY
Bright white cement, many overhead lights and a high ceiling.
empty but for 15 brand new, jumbo-sized Louis Vuitton
suitcases standing neatly in a row in the center of the room.
Archie stands looking at the suitcases with Troy and Doc.
Several of the big Vuitton suitcases are laid on their sides
by Archie, Troy and Doc.
The Iraqi Captain paces frantically punching and kicking the
walls and talking (SUBTITLED in ENGLISH).
IRAQI CAPTAIN
It's Saddam's gold.
INTERROGATOR
Shut up, he signed the treaty.
The suitcases are quickly unzipped. One suitcase is full of
gleaming antique silverware. One suitcase is full of jewelry.
Archie opens one full of hundreds of gold Cartier watches.
Troy and Doc slip a handful of jewelry into their pockets.
The Iraqi Captain goes nuts, throwing himself on Doc's back,
choking Doc, who flails about. Troy punches the Iraqi in the
head and rips him off Doc.
Archie puts his pistol in the man's face.
ARCHIE GATES
Listen to me: we leave you alone
to kill your Shiites, but
everything you took from Kuwait,
that belongs to us now, understand?
He turns to Doc.
ARCHIE GATES
Put it back.
DOC
Why?
ARCHIE GATES
Stick to the plan. The plan is for
gold.
Doc and Troy, out of breath, empty their pockets of jewelry.
Archie opens another Vuitton suitcase and pushes it aside -
it's full of Kuwaiti passports.
When Doc opens the next suitcase, he freezes. Archie looks
over and freezes. Troy closes cuffs behind the Captain's back
and looks over his shoulder -- wide-eyed.
The very large Vuitton suitcase is filled with five-kilo
bricks of gold. They all stare. Troy picks one up.
TROY
Is this five kilos?
Archie holds another brick.
ARCHIE GATES
Yeah, that's five kilos.
TROY
Five, six, seven, eight, there's
sixty bricks in this suitcase.
DOC
Times 50K each --
TROY
Three million dollars.
Archie opens another large Vuitton suitcase, and it is also
filled with sixty bars. Troy opens another suitcase, there's
another sixty bars. Doc opens another, another sixty bars.
They frantically check all of the suitcases. The handcuffed
Captain is crying.
ARCHIE GATES
Ten suitcases; sixty bricks each.
That's thirty million dollars.
Archie, Doc and Troy look at each other in shock.
With effort, Doc and Troy help Archie pick up the heavy,
jumbo-sized suitcase sideways, like a table top.
TROY
I'm gonna get a fleet of Lexus
convertibles in different colors.
DOC
I told you Lexus doesn't make a
convertible.
TROY
I'll bet you a Lexus they do.
DOC
OK, you're on for a Lexus, but it
won't be a convertible.
Suddenly the suitcase rips apart and gold bars fall to the
floor; one lands on Troy's foot. He jumps in pain.
TROY
Shit.
Archie, Troy, and Doc hoist another suitcase sideways and the
bricks rip through and fall to the floor --
ARCHIE GATES
They didn't get it here in these
bags.
DOC
The tensilary strength goes to 200
pounds.
TROY
The what?
DOC
Tensilary strength, it's what the
suitcase can hold.
ARCHIE GATES
Why would you know that?
TROY
He works at an airport.
DOC
60 bars, 13 pounds each is like --
800 pounds. The smaller Vuittons
handle 65.
ARCHIE GATES
You got any more luggage here?
The Interrogator looks at him.
INT. BUNKER BASEMENT - LATER
120 small, round, Vuitton overnight bags, laid out and
opened, cover the entire floor of the basement.
Troy and Doc finish putting 5 bars in each bag. Archie paces,
sweating, speedy like he's on cocaine.
ARCHIE GATES
It's crazy to take it all, we're
not prepared for it. It's crazy
not to take it all, how can we
leave it?
Troy and Doc look nervous.
TROY
What's the shipping plan?
ARCHIE GATES
I told you that's handled.
TROY
How is it handled? You have to
tell us now.
DOC
Yeah, tell us now.
ARCHIE GATES
(pacing)
I've got a friend, he's in French
Special Forces. He's gonna put it
in barrels filled with oil and
bury it. In a few weeks, he'll
drive it to Yanbu --
TROY
Where's Yanbu?
ARCHIE GATES
It's a port in Saudi.
SILENT FANTASY
Havichon talks to an EGYPTIAN MAN in Lacoste sportswear
ARCHIE GATES (O.S.)
Where another friend will ship it
on a Turkish boat up the Red Sea
to Perpignan, where a French boat
will take it to Baltimore --
BACK TO THE SCENE
TROY
I don't know about getting them to
Baltimore, but these hat boxes
ain't gonna fit in the Humvee.
ARCHIE GATES
We need a trailer.
TROY
OK, I'll call U-Haul in Karbala to
see what they have on the lot
today.
ARCHIE GATES
See what you can get, Barlow.
INT. NARROW CEMENT STAIRCASE OF BUNKER
Troy runs up the stairs.
EXT. BUNKER - DAY
Troy runs out the front door.
TROY
Conrad, we need a trailer --
The Iraqi Major stares coldly at Troy. Troy stares at the two
soldiers beating Shiites; five others clustered around the
woman on the ground.
VIG
Did you get it? Troy, did you get
it?
TROY
Yeah, we got it.
VIG
Is it a lot?
TROY
Yeah, it's a lot.
LATER
Troy and Vig untangle, with difficulty, an ox cart from a
messy pile of old ox carts against a bombed out building.
Troy looks troubled --
TROY
(under his breath)
'Little deuce coupe with a fiat
head mill, she'll walk a
Thunderbird like it's standin'
still --'
CLOSE UP A SHIITE MAN is smashed in the face with a club.
CLOSE UP TROY pulls a heavy chain from the Humvee.
TROY
'She'll do a hundred and forty
with the top end floored --'
The Little Girl with arm casts is screaming while her father,
the Man In Glasses, tries to hold her.
Troy and Vig quickly chain the ox cart to the Humvee.
TROY
'She's my little deuce coupe --'
INT. NARROW CEMENT STAIRCASE OF BUNKER
Archie, Doc, the Interrogator run up carrying Vuitton cases.
INT. UPSTAIRS ROOM OF BUNKER - DAY
They hurry past the huge poster of Saddam, the TVs playing
'Happy Days' and Rodney King, the many shelves of stereos,
etc., and past the soldiers lying face down, handcuffed.
EXT. BUNKER NUMBER TWO - DAY
Archie, Doc, and the Interrogator charge out of the bunker
with Vuitton luggage and put it onto the ox cart Troy has
rigged. Archie and Doc stop and stare in shock --
Soldiers 6 & 7 drag and beat Shiites; 5 wounded men and women
lie on the ground bleeding. A cuffed Iraqi Guard kneels with
a bleeding head. Five soldiers continue to encircle someone
(the Shiite woman). The Man In Glasses and the Little Girl
PRAY in ARABIC as they bow on the ground.
Troy and Vig stare back at Archie, looking tense.
The Iraqi Major greets the Interrogator warmly and they
embrace. Then the Major salutes Archie.
IRAQI MAJOR
You take the Kuwaiti gold, yes?
ARCHIE GATES
We take the Kuwaiti gold. Yes.
IRAQI MAJOR
Saddam cannot keep.
ARCHIE GATES
No, Saddam cannot keep.
IRAQI MAJOR
Saddam have too many problem today.
ARCHIE GATES
He certainly does.
Shiites run past throwing rocks at Iraqi soldiers 6 & 7 who
tackle and pummel them to the ground.
IRAQI MAJOR
You need help to load?
ARCHIE GATES
We can do it ourselves.
The Major turns and shouts --
IRAQI MAJOR
Hazal jarat finan.
Iraqis 6 & 7 jog over. The soldiers are out of breath.
IRAQI MAJOR
These man help you.
INTERROGATOR
You go away fast from this
bullshit.
Archie looks at one soldier's hands.
CLOSE UP: BLOOD on the Iraqi Soldier's knuckles and wrists.
PAN UP TO THE FACES of the Iraqi soldiers.
ARCHIE GATES
Let's load up and get out of here.
INT. STAIRWELL
Iraqi Soldiers 6 & 7 carry suitcases up the narrow stairs.
EXT. BUNKER NUMBER TWO - DAY
Luggage is loaded into the Humvee and the cart while Troy
directs Iraqis 6 & 7; Doc and Vig help.
TROY
Lay that one flat; OK, sideways --
ARCHIE GATES
This isn't gonna work.
TROY
Sure it is --
The cart collapses from the weight into a pile of broken wood.
The Vuitton bags roll onto the debris-cluttered ground, one
goes through a pool of blood. Doc picks the case up.
IRAQI MAJOR
You need a truck.
ARCHIE GATES
We'll rig two carts.
TROY
Let's take the truck.
ARCHIE GATES
We're not taking their truck.
TROY
Why not?
IRAQI MAJOR
We cooperate with peace accord.
Please take truck.
TROY
Let's take the truck.
Archie looks vaguely disgusted.
Troy backs the truck up.
Vuitton hat cases are loaded into the back of the truck,
which is completely full.
Archie sits behind the wheel of the Humvee. Vig sits next to
him. Archie starts the engine. Iraqi 6 taps on the door of
the Humvee by way of saying goodbye. Archie nods.
The Iraqi Major points to the Shiite Woman.
IRAQI MAJOR
Nazaran yafit haisul.
Archie watches as Iraqis 6 & 7 walk directly to the circle of
soldiers around the woman -- it is now clear she has been
raped. They pull her from the group, they stand the Woman in
an open area and shoot her dead.
Troy jerks slightly in his seat and turns away. Doc stares.
Archie bows his head to the steering wheel and leans there
for a second as Vig looks wide-eyed at the dead woman.
The Girl in arm casts screams. She is grabbed by the hair and
pulled away by an Iraqi soldier, but the Man In Glasses
punches him and takes the girl. The soldier chases them with
a knife and jabs at the man, cutting him, but not lethally.
Archie gets out of the Humvee and slams the door, walks
slowly toward the Iraqi soldiers.
ARCHIE GATES
This has to stop.
The Iraqis look at him. The soldier with the knife continues
to slash the Man In Glasses.
INTERROGATOR
You get your ass kick in a war, it
feel good to be strong again.
ARCHIE GATES
What did you say?
IRAQI MAJOR
You go now, please.
He salutes Archie.
ARCHIE GATES
I don't think so. I'm sure you
know about the Geneva Convention,
right?
INTERROGATOR
Geneva convention? You bomb my
house, man.
IRAQI MAJOR
That Shiite man is leader of
uprising. He kill my man.
TROY
Archie, let's stick to the plan,
sir. The plan is for gold, right?
DOC
We can help them first, then be on
our way.
TROY
No, we can't. It's not what we're
here for.
ARCHIE GATES
How much?
IRAQI MAJOR
What?
ARCHIE GATES
How much gold do you want to let
these people come with us?
The Iraqi Major smiles. The Interrogator laughs.
INTERROGATOR
Cannot do.
ARCHIE GATES
What do you mean, cannot do? I'm
offering you a lot of money.
The Iraqi Major continues smiling.
IRAQI MAJOR
Cannot let Shiite go --
INTERROGATOR
Saddam kill us.
IRAQI MAJOR
Saddam kill to me if we let them
go, OK? Now you go.
ARCHIE GATES
Cover me.
TROY
Jesus Christ, we can't save
everybody.
ARCHIE GATES
Are you listening? I said cover me.
Troy and Doc stare at Archie, then Troy gets out of the
truck, Doc gets out of the Humvee, and they nervously point
their pistols. Troy points his gun at Iraqi 6, who has come
forward with a rifle; Doc points at Iraqi 7, who has also
come forward. To the rear, Iraqi 6 stands with a rifle, near
Iraqis 2,3,4 and the Sargeant stand over the eight
prone Shiite prisoners laying face down.
Vig nervously sits for a moment, then jumps to his feet and
mans the mounted machine gun in the rear of the Hummer.
ARCHIE GATES
No unnecessary shots, Conrad, is
that clear?
VIG
Yes, sir.
ARCHIE GATES
Because we know what bullets do to
vital organs, don't we?
VIG
Make infected pockets filled with
bile, sir.
ARCHIE GATES
That's right, that's what they do.
Troy, Doc, Vig watch with trepidation as Archie walks toward
the soldier slashing the Man In Glasses, who carries the Girl.
Archie reaches over and grabs the slasher's wrist, pulling
the blade away from the man's body. He holds the soldier's
wrist up. The soldier grabs for Archie's throat with his free
hand, but Archie grabs this hand and twists it away, putting
the Iraqi into a choke hold. The soldier drops the knife in
the dirt.
The bloodied Man In Glasses collapses to the ground,
clutching the Little Girl in arm casts.
Troy, Doc, Vig point their guns. The Iraqi Major is pissed.
Archie sweeps the soldier's feet out, pins the soldier face
down on the ground, and throws the soldier's gun away. Archie
helps the Shiite Man In Glasses to his feet, takes the Girl,
and walks them over to the Humvee.
Two Shiite prisoners try to stand up, the Iraqi guards kick
them back down.
IRAQI MAJOR
(pissed)
U.S.A. is out of Shiite war.
The Iraqi Major raises his machine gun as he stands next to
the Humvee, but Archie grabs the barrel and holds it down.
ARCHIE GATES
No shooting.
Troy looks scared as he points his pistol at the Iraqi
soldiers, who point their rifles back at Troy and Doc.
CUT BACK TO the Major pauses, then smashes the barrel of his
machine gun, with Archie's hand, against the Humvee.
Archie winces, but doesn't let go. The Major does it again,
smashing Archie's hand. Archie winces, doesn't let go. The
Major tries to jerk the barrel up, but Archie pushes it down,
and it fires by accident, into the Major's leg. The Major
howls with pain. Blood dribbles out the bottom of his pants
leg like piss.
Troy covers Iraqi 6 with his rifle.
TROY
What's happening?
ARCHIE GATES
Accident. Stay cool.
Vig nervously swings the mounted machine gun from one Iraqi
in the rear to another, but doesn't shoot. Iraqi soldiers
point their rifles at the Americans.
ANGLE ON TROY
TROY
No.
WHIP PAN TO Iraqi 6 jerks his rifle toward Archie and fires.
The sound cuts out.
SLIGHTLY SLOW MOTION: WHIP PAN from Iraqi rifle to Archie.
The only SOUND is the BULLET PIERCING THE FLESH of Archie's
lower left arm and tearing his muscle as it passes through.
Archie grimaces violently in pain.
SLIGHTLY SLOW MOTION: Troy fires his pistol. NO SOUND except
for the SLOW MOTION SOUND of the BULLET EXPLODING.
SLOW MOTION: The bullet tears through Iraqi 6's chest.
THE ONLY SOUND is the IRAQI'S HEARTBEAT, the bullet tearing
flesh and crushing bone, and the heartbeat stopping with a
VIOLENT SPLASH. Iraqi 6 falls to the ground with only a dull
thud and the slow clank of his gear.
REGULAR SPEED: Vig swings the mounted machine gun from one
Iraqi to another, but still doesn't shoot. He looks terrified
as his thumbs twitch on the triggers.
Iraqi 7 FIRES twice.
SLIGHTLY SLOW MOTION: a bullet tears into Troy's chest with
a DULL SNAP. He winces in pain.
PAN TO the windshield of the Humvee shatters behind Doc; he
turns and fires his pistol.
PAN TO -- slightly slow motion: NO SOUND EXCEPT THE BULLET
TEARING INTO IRAQI 7'S KNEE, smashing through bone. He falls
to the ground clutching his leg.
SLIGHTLY SLOW MOTION: Vig swings the mounted machine gun and
FIRES. NO SOUND BUT THE SLOW CRACKS OF THE RED TRACER BULLETS
EXPLODING from the gun.
SLOW MOTION: tracer bullets slice across the face of Iraqi 5
and Iraqi 2 in the rear, NO SOUND BUT THE BULLETS BREAKING
THROUGH BONE AND FLESH.
SLOW MOTION: Archie jams his pistol under the Major's chin
and FIRES -- the ONLY SOUND IS THE. SLOW EXPLOSION OF THE GUN,
and the slow tearing of tissue, ending with a sharp SNAP as
the tissue, bone, and the bullet CRACK out the top of the
Iraqi Major's head.
HIGH ANGLE LOOKING DOWN -- replay of entire shoot out at
REGULAR SPEED. Ending on the wide-eyed Little Girl with her
hand in her mouth, staring.
ANOTHER ANGLE -- replay of entire shoot out at REGULAR SPEED.
Ending on Troy wincing as he holds his chest.
The dead Iraqi Major lies face down in sand with eyes open;
the Interrogator holds his hand and WEEPS.
Archie's lightly blood-flecked face stares down at the dead
Major, clouds pass overhead.
Dead Iraqi 6 lies with legs twisted under his body.
A rivulet of blood trickles through the sand. A spider runs
across it and gets stuck.
LOW ANGLE up at Doc, stone still, staring straight ahead as
clouds pass slowly above him in the sky.
Vig nervously swings the mounted machine gun back and forth.
Troy, drenched in sweat, looks pained as he unbuttons his
shirt: there's a gunshot in his kevlar vest. The slug drops
out of the dent, into his hand -- he exhales.
Iraqis 2, 3, 4, and the Sargeant, throw their hands up in
surrender and drop their weapons. Big Iraqi 2 walks toward
the Humvee in surrender, and bows down.
Archie points.
ARCHIE GATES
Cover these three.
Vig swings the mounted machine gun toward the three remaining
Iraqi soldiers who stand over eight terrified Shiites.
ARCHIE GATES
Doc.
Doc follows Archie over to the three Iraqi soldiers.
DOC
Down.
The soldiers get on their knees, pleading for mercy.
IRAQI SOLDIER
Kazal stan hamir in fatar.
Doc takes the Iraqi soldiers' guns and pushes them down.
ARCHIE GATES
Put the Shiites in the Humvee.
TROY
There's no room.
ARCHIE GATES
Make room.
TROY
What the fuck happened to
necessity?
ARCHIE GATES
It just changed.
TROY
Not for me.
Shiites and Iraqi soldiers watch the debate nervously.
ARCHIE GATES
Obey the fucking order, Barlow.
TROY
This is fucked up.
Doc points to the Shiites.
DOC
What if that was you?
Troy displays the gunshot in the Kevlar.
TROY
What if this was you not wearing
Kevlar?
Suddenly, THE SOUND of an APPROACHING TANK. They turn.
A tank rolls toward them fast, down a narrow side street,
followed by a truck with a rocket launcher.
TROY
Great, a fucking tank. That should
send us on our way.
VIG
Grenade launcher, sir.
Vig struggles to lift the grenade launcher.
ARCHIE GATES
No. Let's get out of here.
TROY
It's about fucking time.
Troy jumps into the luggage-packed truck, starts the engine.
Vig starts the Humvee; Archie jumps in next to Vig.
PAN TO the eight Shiites, plus the Man In Glasses and the
Little Girl, jam into the crowded Humvee. Doc jumps in.
The tank approaches. The Humvee pulls away. The tank rolls in
from the side, but the tank turret WHINES and CLICKS, stuck
in place. An Iraqi pops out the top of the tank.
TANK IRAQI
Hazal mafan.
He gestures to the whining, stuck, turret. Another Iraqi
tries pushing the turret. The truck with the small rocket
launcher pulls up.
INT./EXT. HUMVEE
as it bounces along fast. Archie is in pain while Doc pours
disinfectant over Archie's gunshot wound in his lower left
arm, and wraps it. Vig looks terrified as he drives.
INT. TRUCK
Troy, driving alone, speeds the truck as fast as it will go,
bouncing along the road.
TROY
We were home free, you stupid son
of a bitch.
WIDE AERIAL SHOT
the truck is 60 yards behind the Humvee
ARCHIE GATES (O.S.)
What's the tank doing?
POV
through Doc's jiggling binoculars of the tank turning.
DOC (O.S.)
Lining us up --
BACK TO THE SCENE
Vig pushes the Humvee's accelerator to the floor.
The Shiite Man In Glasses and his Little Girl cling to the
Humvee as they sit on top of the Vuitton hat cases with eight
other Shiites, including TWO FIVE YEAR OLDS, A BOY AND GIRL.
EXT. BUNKER NUMBER TWO - DAY
Two Iraqi soldiers take a THIN ROCKET, four feet long, and
load a clear plastic canister of brown fluid into it. A
GUNSHOT RINGS OUT, a soldier is hit in the arm.
WHIP PAN TO a Shiite boy with an old rifle in the third floor
window of a small stone building. Iraqis shout and point at
the sniper. The tank turns to the building.
EXT. DESERT - DAY
The Humvee drives fast over the bumpy two-lane road.
EXT. BUNKER NUMBER TWO - DAY
The tank fires a round at the building which COLLAPSES.
INT. SHIITE BUILDING - DAY
A SHIITE MOTHER, FATHER, AND TWO CHILDREN pray at a crude
table when the ceiling collapses.
EXT. BUNKER NUMBER TWO - DAY
The Iraqi soldiers fire the rocket launcher.
DOC (O.S.)
Incoming.
EXT. DESERT - DAY
Vig turns the speeding Humvee off the road. Archie jerks the
wheel back.
ARCHIE GATES
Stay on the road.
VIG
I don't wanna get hit.
SLOW MOTION: Doc looks straight up with the binoculars.
SLOW MOTION: a rocket streaks a squiggly white line of smoke
across the sky.
REAR OF HUMVEE, SLOW MOTION: half the Shiites hunch down,
bracing for an explosion while the other half crane their
necks, looking straight up into the sky. They cower when
there is an EXPLOSION above.
PAN UP TO - REGULAR SPEED: the ROCKET EXPLODES in the sky a
hundred yards above the Humvee -- INTO A BROWN CLOUD.
DOC
Gas.
Troy leans out the window of the moving truck and squints up
at the brown gas cloud above as he drives fast.
Archie and Doc grapple to put on their gas masks. Vig reaches
around behind him for his mask as he drives.
VIG
Where's my mask?
He accidentally veers off the road into the open desert.
ZOOM IN TO a field of mines sitting right on top of the sand,
20 yards ahead. [Iraqi mines were often placed this way]
ZOOM IN ON Archie's alarmed face
ARCHIE GATES
Mine.
Archie dives from the Humvee followed by Vig, Doc, the Man In
Glasses holding the Little Girl, the other Shiites, including
the Two Five Year Olds. The Hummer drives ten yards, hits the
first mine with an explosion and flies into the air --
INT. TRUCK DRIVEN BY TROY
Flying debris smashes the windshield. Troy instinctively
jerks the wheel and the truck flips onto its side and slides
across the sand.
EXT. MINEFIELD
The airborne Humvee lands on its side, hits another mine, is
blown into the air, lands on its back, and is blown to pieces.
Troy sits sideways as the truck slides across the sand to a
halt inches before a mine, 30 yards behind the wrecked Humvee.
SILENCE. A wheel on the wrecked Humvee spin in the air,
squeaking.
Louis Vuitton suitcases are scattered all over. One has
opened and the gold bars are spilled around.
Shiites stagger to their feet, some cut and bleeding, some
limping. They cover their faces with their clothes as the
dense brown fog descends around them.
Vig's right eye has taken shrapnel and is bloody mess -- he
gropes in the sand for his glasses as blood drips down.
Archie puts his gas mask on the Little Girl with arm casts.
Doc takes his mask off when he sees what Archie has done and
gives it to the Shiite Man in Glasses.
Doc picks up Vig's glasses and hands them to Vig, who stands,
blinking his one good eye, while blood streams down his face.
DOC
Cover your face, Conrad. Cover
your mouth, man.
Vig is in shock. Doc lifts Vig's bloody hand to Vig's mouth.
Unseen in the fog, Troy climbs out of the overturned truck.
He picks up two Vuitton hat cases, looks up, sees the TWO
LITTLE CHILDREN from the Humvee, running across a mine field
SCREAMING.
TROY
Hey. Stop.
Troy stands watching as the children run farther away, crying.
TROY
Goddamn it.
He runs, hard, after the children, who are now 70 yards away,
the Vuitton hat cases banging against his legs.
Doc pulls a syringe from a sterile packet, is about to stick
it into his leg when Archie grabs his hand.
ARCHIE GATES
Don't do it, this isn't sarin.
We'd be dead by now.
DOC
Is it mustard?
ARCHIE GATES
It's C.S.
DOC
What's that?
ARCHIE GATES
Tear gas times ten, but it's not
lethal. Where's Barlow?
DOC
I don't know.
EXT. DESERT - MINEFIELD
Troy chases the children through the brown fog, he drops one
of the suitcases, catches up to the Girl and scoops her up in
his left arm and covers her face with her coat.
TROY'S POV
as he runs between land mines after the Boy, who is way ahead.
BACK TO THE SCENE
Troy drops the other Vuitton bag, catches the Boy and has
both children under his arms like footballs -- when suddenly
Troy is grabbed from behind with a cord around his neck -- he
lands on his back with the two children in his arms.
TROY'S POV LOOKING UP
the Iraqi Interrogator, wearing a gas mask, kicks Troy in the
head. The screaming Children are torn from Troy's arms by
Iraqi soldiers. Troy reaches for his pistol and it is ripped
from his hand as he is dragged to an Iraqi jeep.
EXT. DESERT - NEAR ARCHIE AND DOC
ARCHIE GATES
Does anybody see Barlow?
Archie and Doc circle through the thick haze carrying a
Vuitton hat case and cover their mouths and noses.
DOC
I can't even see the truck.
About five Shiites wander around, confused.
VIG
Look out.
Archie spins around, drops the bag and points his pistol.
TWO BLACK ROBED FIGURES pick up Vuitton hat cases.
ARCHIE GATES
Don't move.
A Black Robed Figure walks right past Archie, takes a scared
Shiite man by the arm and leads him to the side.
More black cloaked figures appear. There are THIRTY IN ALL.
Archie, Doc, and Vig look disoriented, point their pistols
around as black robes appear and lead the Shiites away.
VIG
What's going on?
The robes lead the Shiites to a 4 FOOT HIGH TUNNEL ENTRANCE
in a mound of desert earth and disappear into it.
Vig stands and rubs his one good eye. Doc grabs Vig by the
arm and pulls him back toward the tunnel.
DOC
Get in the tunnel.
Vig jerks his arm away.
VIG
Troy.
Doc grabs Vig.
DOC
You're gonna die.
Vig punches Doc in the side of the head. Doc punches Vig in
the stomach. They fall to the ground, fighting.
Archie searches for Troy in the brown haze.
ARCHIE GATES
Barlow.
Two black-robed figures pull Vig off Doc and drag him to the
tunnel. Another robed figure pulls Doc to the tunnel.
Archie walks, looks for Troy, chokes, vomits into the sand.
A black robed figure takes him by the arm and pulls him back
to the tunnel, where they disappear inside.
INT. TUNNEL - DAY
Chaos. People choking and vomiting. GAS LANTERNS SWING. The
tunnel is 6 feet tall. Buckets are passed, filled with oiled
rags that people use to wipe their faces. Archie takes a
dripping rag and wipes his eyes, nose, mouth.
VIG
We have to go back. We can't leave
him there.
Vig's mutilated right eye is bleeding.
ARCHIE GATES
We have to wait until it clears.
VIG
You made the choice and we lost
Troy --
ARCHIE GATES
I had no choice.
VIG
You had a choice.
ARCHIE GATES
I had no fucking choice.
He screams at Vig, who looks scared.
ARCHIE GATES
I can't walk away from a crime
like that and take the gold and
live my life like nothing
happened, and if you can, then I
hope you die right now.
Vig starts crying. Doc hands a bandage to Archie, who puts it
over Vig's wounded eye socket.
VIG
What about Troy? What choice does
he have now?
PAN ACROSS the Man In Glasses wipes his daughter's face.
EXT. OASIS BUNKER - DAY
Iraqi soldiers strip Troy's clothes as he stands in front of
Oasis Bunker surrounded only by fortress ruins in the desert.
The Iraqi Interrogator pulls off his gas mask.
Two Iraqi tanks are parked to the side. Small numbers of
soldiers and civilians mill about.
IRAQI SOLDIER (SUBTITLES)
Can we shoot him?
IRAQI SOLDIER #2 (SUBTITLES)
We're not even supposed to have
American prisoners.
INTERROGATOR (SUBTITLES)
He's proof they broke the cease-
fire.
A GUN SHOT RINGS OUT. The Iraqis turn to look.
INTERROGATOR
They're taking the tank.
PAN TO 7 Shiites with rifles climb the unmanned Iraqi tank.
4 Iraqi soldiers FIRE back at the Shiites.
Troy, naked, tries to break away in the chaos. He runs a few
feet, is tackled and dragged toward the bunker.
EXT. FAR SIDE OF THE TANK
Bill Smithson drives the motorcycle up and stops.
BILL SMITHSON
Start shooting, Paco.
WALTER
I don't like this, we gotta go--
Iraqi soldiers pull them off the motorcycle.
WALTER
Hey.
BILL SMITHSON
Let me handle this.
INT. NARROW CORRIDOR OF OASIS BUNKER
Troy is led, naked, down the corridor by two soldiers.
EXT. OASIS BUNKER - DAY
Shiites rebels sit on top of the captured tank with rifles as
it drives toward the bunker. Iraqi soldiers FIRE on them, but
the turret aims at the bunker and FIRES -- blasting a hole.
INT. BUNKER - CRUDE CEMENT BATHROOM - DAY
Troy is thrown onto the floor of a cluttered cement bathroom
with two crude toilets. His clothes are thrown on top of him.
IRAQI SOLDIER
Get dress.
TROY
OK.
IRAQI SOLDIER
Get dress.
TROY
I said OK.
The door is slammed. Stolen blenders, radios, CDs, stacks of
new Levis litter the floor. Troy kicks all the crap angrily
and hundreds of cell phones tumble from a box.
Troy looks at the pile of cell phones, picks one up, tries it
for a dial tone, drops it, tries another, until he gets one
that gives him a tone and dials.
OPERATOR (O.S.)
Jalam nafad.
Troy looks stunned.
TROY
(into the cell phone)
Um. Do you speak English?
OPERATOR (O.S.)
(British accent)
Yes.
TROY
(into cell phone)
Can you -- I need --
He frantically pushes stuff on the floor to block the door.
OPERATOR (O.S.)
What number, please.
TROY
Operation Desert Storm.
OPERATOR (O.S.)
I'm sorry?
TROY
The big army in the desert, come
on, it's an emergency.
OPERATOR (O.S.)
I don't have that number.
TROY
Maybe you could -- hello?
The phone is dead.
TROY
Fuck.
He throws it to the ground, tries another, no dial tone,
throws it, tries another, no dial tone, throws it.
TROY
Come on, come on, come on.
He tries another, chucks it, another, gets a dial tone,
dials, and waits. Troy dials a number.
He waits while the PHONE RINGS.
INT. TROY'S HOME - TORRANCE, CAL.- NIGHT
Darlene, Troy's wife, tired from the pregnancy, picks up the
RINGING TELEPHONE. She has a crying baby in her arm.
INTERCUT with bunker:
DARLENE
(Southern accent)
Hello?
TROY
Honey, it's me.
DARLENE
Troy?
TROY
It's me, honey.
DARLENE
My God, the baby's crying.
TROY
I can hear her.
DARLENE
That's our little Krystal.
TROY
How's she doing?
DARLENE
She hasn't been sleeping good, and
Mamma had to go back to work, so
I'm real, real tired, baby.
TROY
I wish I was there to help, gooney-
bird.
DARLENE
Oh, gooney-bird, when are you
coming home?
TROY
I'm working on that right now,
baby.
DARLENE
I saw an ad for a computer job.
You want me to call and set up an
interview for my war hero?
TROY
Listen, honey --
DARLENE
What date are you coming home?
TROY
They haven't given us an exact
date yet. Listen --
DARLENE
I'm henpecking you.
TROY
No, you're not.
DARLENE
I'm lonely and tired and most of
all, I miss you.
TROY
I miss you, too.
FIRE and CONCRETE EXPLODE into one wall of the bathroom.
DARLENE
What was that?
TROY
The wall just exploded.
DARLENE
I thought the war was over, honey.
TROY
It is and it isn't, babe. Can you
do me a favor and call the C.O. on
base?
DARLENE
You want me to call the C.O.?
TROY
Tell him I'm stuck in a bunker
near 223 north outside Karbala --
DARLENE
What do you mean 'stuck'? I
thought the war was over.
TROY
I'm gonna be fine, honey, I don't
want you to worry, I tried to do
something for the family, and I
want you to know --
DARLENE
Know what?
Another MORTAR SMASHES through the wall, covers Troy in dust.
TROY
That I love you.
DARLENE
What's happening, Troy?
TROY
Tell Krystal --
Soldiers push at the door, trying to open it.
DARLENE
Troy?
TROY
Tell Krystal I'm a rich man and if
things work out she'll be taken
care of no matter what --
DARLENE
What are you talking about?
The door is kicked open and soldiers enter.
TROY
Gotta go, gooney-bird, I love you--
The soldiers punch Troy in the face, drag him from the room.
DARLENE
Troy?
She waits for a moment, tears in her eyes, and hangs up.
INT. TV ROOM OF OASIS BUNKER - DAY
A MORTAR ROCKS THE ROOM; soldiers frantically exit.
'CNN' is left playing in the empty room with Bill Smithson's
report from the previous day. "I Just Want to Celebrate"
PLAYS:
BILL SMITHSON
Spirits are high and the music is
soaring as these young troops
celebrate --
EXT. OASIS BUNKER - DAY
Iraqi soldiers shoulder-launch a rocket at the tank,
EXPLODING it. Soldiers shoot into the flaming wreck.
PULL BACK TO Bill Smithson and PACO, the cameraman.
BILL SMITHSON
I'm being held captive by Iraqi
troops in the gritty city of
Karbala, where Shiite --
PACO
You said gritty city again.
BILL SMITHSON
OK, we'll go again.
PACO
What about Private Wogoman, Bill?
BILL SMITHSON
Let's lay a few of these down
first. In three, two, and, I'm
being held captive in a gritty
suburb of Karbala, where Shiite
fundamentalists are rising up --
PAN TO Walter is stripped naked by Iraqi soldiers. Their
CONVERSATION is in ARABIC and SUBTITLED in ENGLISH.
IRAQI CAPTAIN
You better not let that fucking
reporter see you doing this.
IRAQI SARGEANT
Hey, that's the CNN guy.
IRAQI CAPTAIN
Wow. He's much shorter in person.
IRAQI CAPTAIN
Get them out of here now.
LATER
Walter sits on the bike, naked. Bill Smithson in the sidecar,
Paco in the back. Iraqi soldiers pull the tape out.
BILL SMITHSON
At least let me keep the tape.
WALTER
Could I have my helmet, please?
They hand him his socks.
WALTER
Helmet. On my head.
They give Walter his helmet, with built-in radio headset.
EXT. U.S. COMPANY B CAMP - MESS AREA - DAY
GENERAL HORN
Who's missing?
CAPTAIN VAN METER
Is Doc here?
The White Assistant shakes his head 'NO.'
CAPTAIN VAN METER
Doc's not here?
GENERAL HORN
You don't know where one of your
own fucking aides is?
CAPTAIN VAN METER
How about Barlow?
The White Assistant shakes his head 'NO.'
GENERAL HORN
Check all the radio transmissions.
CAPTAIN VAN METER
I run a tight company, Ron. Don't
break my bails.
GENERAL HORN
I'm not breaking your balls, Doug,
I want to find these guys.
INT. TUNNEL - DAY
Archie, Doc, Vig, and dozens of Shiites crouch as they walk
through the tunnel, single file.
Dissolve
They are still walking in the long tunnel.
EXT. OPEN DESERT - DAY
Archie climbs out of a small mound in the desert, squints in
the light and looks around.
A strange minaret stretches skyward from the flat desert, 200
yards away. The minaret is made of yellow stone, it twists
150 feet into the air, like a twisting wedding cake.
Archie leads the others toward the minaret. No one is around,
except for a few black robes. Archie, Doc, and Vig enter the
old wooden doorway of the ancient Minaret.
INT. MINARET HALLWAY - DAY
A line of TEN CHILDREN with missing limbs and bandages stand
and watch Archie, Doc, and Vig enter. They make eye contact.
INT. INTERROGATION ROOM, OASIS BUNKER - DAY
CLOSE UP: the hands of an Iraqi soldier carefully wrap a bare
wire around Troy's right ear.
INTERROGATOR
(heavy accent)
What is your rank, bro?
TROY
Master sargeant.
INTERROGATOR
Your company?
TROY
B Company, infantry, United States
Army.
The wire is wrapped under Troy's chin around his other ear.
INTERROGATOR
My main man. Tell me something,
OK? What is problem with Michael
Jackson?
TROY
What do you mean?
INTERROGATOR
The King of Pop. 'I'm bad, I'm
bad, you know it --'
TROY
Yeah, Michael Jackson.
INTERROGATOR
He is fahking the small boys, man.
TROY
What are you talking about?
INTERROGATOR
He come to Egypt with the small
boys. I see picture in newspaper,
always he is with the small boys
in the hotel window. Hello with
the white glove. I am King of Pop
in my hotel with the small boys.
No girls. Just the boys.
TROY
He likes kids.
INTERROGATOR
Yeah, he like to fahk them up the
ass.
TROY
Bullshit.
Troy is smashed in the face with a clipboard. He looks
angry, and like he could cry at the same time.
INTERROGATOR
You are the blind bullshit, my
main man. It is so obvious he
like the small boy so he all the
time travel with them.
TROY
Fine.
INTERROGATOR
And if it really true? You say --
TROY
I say it's sick.
INTERROGATOR
That's because you got a sick
country, bro, you got no respect
for the children. That's why you
bomb them over here, right?
TROY
I don't think so.
INTERROGATOR
Michael Jackson is Pop King of
sick fahking country.
TROY
Wrong.
Troy is smashed in the face with the clip board. Blood drips
from his nose.
INTERROGATOR
Bullshit wrong, dude. A black man
make the skin white and the hair
straight. You know why?
TROY
No.
INTERROGATOR
Your sick fahking country make the
black man hate hisself, just like
you hate the Arab and the children
you bomb.
TROY
I don't hate children.
INTERROGATOR
Do they care, buddy?
TROY
Does who care?
INTERROGATOR
Do your army care about the Shiite
children? Do they come to help?
TROY
No, they're not coming.
The Interrogator signals someone O.S. and suddenly voltage
races through the wire, causing Troy to gnash his teeth
together so hard they chip. He writhes in pain.
INTERROGATOR
(in subtitles)
That seemed like too much volts.
You got to build it up slow.
A SECOND IRAQI gestures defensively at a console that is
connected to the wire around Troy's jaw. A THIRD IRAQI
reaches forward and turns a dial. The SECOND IRAQI murmurs
defensively and turns the dial back.
INTERROGATOR
Just figure it out.
The Interrogator turns back to Troy.
INTERROGATOR
Are they coming to help the Shiite?
TROY
No.
He is jolted again -- his face contorts, he bites his lip.
INTERROGATOR
Tell the truth, dudesky. Save us
the big bummer.
Troy starts to cry, represses it. His lip is bleeding.
INTERROGATOR
Does it hurt?
Troy says nothing.
INTERROGATOR
I ask you question, bro.
TROY
Yes, it hurts.
INTERROGATOR
You bomb my family. Do you know
that?
Troy starts shaking slightly.
INTERROGATOR
You blow up my home. The whole
street. My wife is crush by big
fahking block of concrete. She
lose her legs, bro, and she got
nice legs, too. Those legs cut off
now.
Emotion comes into the INTERROGATOR'S VOICE as he says this.
TROY
(whispers)
That's horrible.
INTERROGATOR
What?
TROY
(whispers)
I said, that's horrible.
INTERROGATOR
Oh, my God, buddy. I didn't even
told you the horrible part yet.
The other two guards listen sadly.
INTERROGATOR
My son was kill in his bed. Did
you heard that, dude?
TROY
Yes.
INTERROGATOR
He is one years old. He is
asleeping with his toy doll when.
the bomb come. You see that guy
over there? He lose his daughter
same way: big USA bomb.
CLOSE UP the two guards -- one of them wipes away a tear.
FANTASY - CONCRETE AND PLASTER
falls onto the bed of a sleeping child.
BACK TO THE SCENE
TROY
I have a daughter.
INTERROGATOR
Very nice for you, bro. She is
safe in Ohio without the bombs and
concrete and all this shit--
FANTASY - DARLENE
pushes a baby carriage down an idyllic tree-lined sidewalk.
INTERROGATOR (OS)
How old is she?
TROY (OS)
Ten days old.
INTERROGATOR (OS)
What's her name?
BACK TO THE SCENE
TROY
Krystal.
INTERROGATOR
What makes you decide to tell me
about Krystal, my main man?
TROY
Because we're both fathers.
INTERROGATOR
I'm not a father no more, dude,
remember? My son is dead now.
INT. LARGE ROOM OF MINARET - DAY
TWO DOZEN PEOPLE are laying down, being treated by SHIITE
CLERICS in black who squeeze aloe onto facial blisters.
At the end of the hall, Archie grits his teeth in pain as a
CLERIC uses a turkey baster to shoot alcohol into his
infected wound. Archie SCREAMS in pain.
Doc paces, exhaling; he has white ointment on his face.
DOC
I'm OK. I'm cool. I'm a survivor.
A Shiite changes Vig's bloody bandage, while a DEAD BODY is
laid next to Vig and wrapped in cloths; two clerics chant.
VIG
Is that guy dead? Where you gonna
put him?
SHIITE CLERIC
A shrine.
VIG
What kind of shrine ya'll got?
SHIITE CLERIC
Shrine that wash 700 year of sin.
VIG
Hey, that's a pretty good shrine,
right, Doc?
Doc stares at Vig.
VIG
I'm sorry I hit you, man. I was
scared for Troy, I don't want
nothing to happen to him, he's my
friend. Doc? Come on, man, I know
you was comin' to help me --
Vig reaches out blindly for Doc's hand. Doc looks for a
moment at Vig's hand in the air, reaching, then takes it.
They remain silent for a moment, hands clasped.
VIG
Maybe we got kicked out of the
ring of Jesus fire, on account of
stealing.
DOC
That's not how it works.
VIG
How does it work?
DOC
I take care of what Jesus puts in
front of me. That's what we did
with the gold.
VIG
What about now?
DOC
I'm gonna see.
Archie walks up, his arm bandaged, and inspects Vig's face.
ARCHIE GATES
How you doing, Conrad?
VIG
I'm good to go, chief.
ARCHIE GATES
Let's check the suitcases.
Archie, Doc, and Vig check the Vuitton suitcases, opening
them, looking at the gold, shutting them.
PAN TO children in bandages watch Archie inventory the gold.
DOC
We're missing 28.
ARCHIE GATES
That leaves 92 suitcases, five
bars each --
They think.
ARCHIE GATES
23 million dollars. Not bad for a
disaster, provided we can find
Barlow, get back before dark and
not get busted.
He looks at Doc and Vig.
ARCHIE GATES
It was my choice today. So you can
head back if you want. I'll find
Barlow myself.
DOC
What about the gold?
ARCHIE GATES
Take what you can carry. Try to
find a vehicle. Bury what you have
outside camp. Be careful about it.
They look at Archie.
VIG
I want to find Troy.
Doc thinks.
DOC
I'm in.
ARCHIE GATES
OK, where does that leave us? We
don't have any water, we're
dehydrated. You got a radio here?
The Shiite Man In Glasses puts oils on his Little Girl's face.
ARCHIE GATES
How is she?
The Shiite Man In Glasses does not answer.
DOC
How -- is -- your -- little
girl?
Vig wears glasses over his eye bandage; he mimes the Girl.
VIG
Broken -- arms. Girl.
MAN IN GLASSES
She's traumatized, what the fuck
do you expect?
They look at him, surprised.
MAN IN GLASSES
I went to b-school at Bowling
Green.
VIG
What's b-school? Is that like
terrorist training?
DOC
Business school, Conrad.
MAN IN GLASSES
I came back to open a couple of
hotels near Karbala. I'm almost in
the black when Saddam starts this
stupid fucking war and you guys
bomb the shit out of my cafes. Now
we try to get rid of Saddam, Bush
leaves us twisting in the wind, Un-
be-fucking-lievable man.
ARCHIE GATES
You got a radio?
MAN IN GLASSES
No radio. No water.
He wipes bits of white foam from the corners of his mouth.
ARCHIE GATES
Where's Barlow?
MAN IN GLASSES
They got him, I saw it happen. And
they won't take him back to the
same place.
ARCHIE GATES
Where would they take him?
MAN IN GLASSES
Oasis Bunker. It's full of
Saddam's hard core guys.
DOC
Where's that?
MAN IN GLASSES
Like 17 - 18 klicks from here.
ARCHIE GATES
Take us there.
MAN IN GLASSES
We got no wheels.
ARCHIE GATES
We'll walk until we find some.
MAN IN GLASSES
Why don't you call in the Marines?
ARCHIE GATES
With what? We don't have a radio.
MAN IN GLASSES
OK, we'll find a vehicle. You
drive back to get the choppers,
they fly in to get your man.
Doc and Vig look at Archie.
ARCHIE GATES
We can't do that.
MAN IN GLASSES
Why not? You got a huge army here.
ARCHIE GATES
We're not supposed to be involved
with Shiites. We killed Iraqi
soldiers. We broke the peace-
accord.
MAN IN GLASSES
Tell them it happened when you
reclaimed the gold. Don't tell
them it was about us.
ARCHIE GATES
They'd find out, we'd go to jail.
MAN IN GLASSES
You know what I think? I think
maybe you're boosting the gold.
That's what I think.
Archie looks at him.
ARCHIE GATES
You're wrong.
MAN IN GLASSES
They got half a million men in the
desert, they send four guys to
pick up all this bullion? I don't
think so.
Archie looks at Vig and Doc.
ARCHIE GATES
We need to find our man. How much
do you want to take us there?
MAN IN GLASSES
Fifteen suitcases.
ARCHIE GATES
That's too much.
VIG
Give it to him. We've got a lot.
ARCHIE GATES
We're gonna need it to buy our way
back today, so we better spend it
wisely. I'll give you eight.
MAN IN GLASSES
You need some guns, right? You
lost your gear.
ARCHIE GATES
Yeah, we need some guns.
MAN IN GLASSES
You need some fighters, too. I
mean, you can try to take Oasis on
your own, but look at these
grunts --
Doc and Vig look pissed. Archie's arm is in pain.
ARCHIE GATES
Yeah, OK, we need some fighters.
MAN IN GLASSES
So that's worth more than eight
suitcases.
ARCHIE GATES
Ten.
MAN IN GLASSES
Fifteen.
Archie looks at him.
ARCHIE GATES
That's four million dollars.
MAN IN GLASSES
I think we need it more than you,
John Doe, don't you?
He extends his hand. They shake.
ARCHIE GATES
Archie Gates.
IMAM (MAN IN GLASSES)
Imam Katar. I'll give you back
five suitcases to get us over the
Iranian border.
ARCHIE GATES
What?
IMAM
We gotta get to a refugee camp or
we're dead. The camps are in Iran.
DOC
We can't go to the Iranian border.
IMAM
Then we don't have a deal.
VIG
Give me a fucking break, man.
DOC
We saved your life.
IMAM
And we saved yours.
ARCHIE GATES
We lost a man for you.
IMAM
What good is it if you leave us to
get wasted? The big army of
democracy beats the ugly dictator,
saves the rich Kuwaitis, but you
go to jail if you help us escape
the same dictator. You saw what
happened to my wife. Look at my
daughter.
Archie looks around. He sees Imam's daughter, other bandaged
children looking at him. A few mothers.
ARCHIE GATES
Who's going?
IMAM
Everyone but the priests. That's
55.
VIG
Fuck it. We'll find this place on
our own.
IMAM
It's not on a map. You can look.
DOC
Somebody else will take us.
Doc pulls gold bars from a case and holds them up
DOC
Who will take us to Oasis bunker?
Fifty Shiites turn and look at him silently. Doc dumps a
whole suitcase of gold bars. Imam translates.
IMAM
Jarat yalam fantam uraz.
People stare at the gold and say nothing.
IMAM
I don't think so.
VIG
This is a human life we're talking
about.
IMAM
(laughs)
Tell me about it.
His daughter looks at him and laughs -- until her laughter
becomes scary, hysterical and Imam tries to hold her still
and she won't stop as Archie, Doc, Vig watch.
INT. OASIS BUNKER - DAY
CLOSE ON -- Head of a golf clubdriver: "Made in USA."
Interrogator holds the golf club near the head, paces.
INTERROGATOR
I only join Saddam Hussein army to
make good living for family, good
car, good house, and now my son is
dead.
TROY
I signed up for the extra cash,
too.
INTERROGATOR
We got a lot in common, dude. I
got training and guns from America.
TROY
Not from America.
INTERROGATOR
Oh, yeah, specialist guys come to
Iraq, train us when we fight Iran.
TROY
What did they train you in?
INTERROGATOR
Weapons, sabotage. Interrogation.
TROY
Great.
The Interrogator lights a Marlboro, exhales.
PUSH IN TO CLOSE UP on TROY'S FACE as the smoke envelopes him.
FANTASY -- INT. TROY'S BEDROOM - TORRANCE
Darlene looks up and beams as Troy walks into the room, they
embrace on the bed.
INTERROGATOR (O.S.)
So what we get from this dirty
Iraq war you and me, huh?
FANTASY - TROY
holds the naked baby against his naked chest.
TROY
(whispers)
I don't know.
BACK TO SCENE
INTERROGATOR
(laughs)
You don't fahking know, right?! We
all scahmbag soldier who get
fahked, right?
TROY
Right.
Interrogator laughs and takes a practice golf swing.
TROY
So why are you doing this to me?
INTERROGATOR
It's my job, man, for Saddam, just
like your job when you bomb my
house.
TROY
It's not just a job, it still
matters what you do.
INTERROGATOR
Bullshit. It's all a job.
TROY
It still matters what you do, what
you're doing right now matters.
INTERROGATOR
Bullshit.
TROY
The art of war is not for killing
people, it's a stratagem to give
life to many with minimum
violence, minimum --
INTERROGATOR
Then why you bomb my fahking house
and kill my son? Can you think how
it feels inside your heart if I
bomb your daughter?
FANTASY - SLOW MOTION - A MISSILE
silently destroys Troy's suburban house.
BACK TO SCENE
TROY
Worse than death --
INTERROGATOR
It feels like this --
Holding the driver at the head, he raps the bridge of Troy's
nose.
TROY
Don't --
INTERROGATOR
Everyday, inside my heart --
He raps Troy's nose repeatedly to make his point.
INTERROGATOR
Like this, like this, like this --
He breaks Troy's nose with a crack.
INT. MINARET
A rug is pulled off the old stone floor, a panel is lifted.
Old pistols and rifles are pulled out.
Doc and Vig load and handle the old pistols.
ARCHIE GATES
Did we save anything from the
Humvee?
DOC
This bag.
Archie pulls two of the colored footballs from the beat up
pack. He looks at Doc as if to say "Great."
LATER
Archie's arm is in pain as he carefully wraps a thin layer of
light blue plastic explosive around a football, presses small
nails sideways into the plastique and inserts a fuse in the
end of the ball. Another ball-bomb just like it has already
been constructed.
EXT. DESERT - DAY
Archie leads a line of 55 Shiites across the desert. Everyone
carries at least one Vuitton bag. Imam carries his daughter.
VIG
You got the same name as the tall
model who does David Bowie.
DOC
That's Im-an, with an 'n.' He's
Imam with an 'm.'
VIG
That's the same name.
DOC
It's not the same name.
VIG
Whatever. They're both attractive
names.
EXT. DESERT - LATER
Archie crouches low to the ground, moving quickly,
secretively. He turns and makes a hand signal to, Doc, 20
yards away, who turns and makes a hand signal to Vig.
HIGH WIDE SHOT: A lone Iraqi military truck, mint condition.'
Archie, Vig, and Doc form a semicircle, surrounding the
truck. They are all 40 yards back from the truck.
ARCHIE GATES
This is the United States Army.
Come out of the truck with your
weapons in the air.
No response. Suddenly Vig's pistol FIRES.
VIG
Shit. Sorry.
His gunshot blows a hole in the Iraqi truck -- which deflates
like a huge beach ball, circling wildly until it lies in a
heap of collapsed camouflage canvass while 50 yards away --
55 SHIITES flip sand-colored blankets off and stand up in the
desert to look. Doc lifts the limp canvass of the deflated
truck.
ARCHIE GATES
They used a lot of decoys to throw
off our bombers.
DOC
Where are we gonna get a vehicle?
IMAM
I know a place that's full of
deserters. Maybe they got
something.
HIGH WIDE SHOT: They walk in a single file line in the
desert. Archie in front, carries a Vuitton bag.
EXT. DESERTER'S BUNKER - DAY
Archie now walks among Shiites toting old rifles. There are
bomb craters, destroyed cars, a few mud dwellings nearby.
SHIITE
America!
SHIITE #2
America! Friend!
SHIITE
Freedom! Thank you to America!
Shiites cheer and pat Archie, Doc and Vig on the back as they
walk to a bunker built into the side of a small hill. TWO
IRAQI SOLDIERS come out smiling to embrace a disoriented
Archie and Doc.
INT. IRAQI BUNKER - DAY
They pass through a cluttered room with six cots, down a
hallway, to a larger room where two more YOUNG IRAQI SOLDIERS
sit watching CNN. There is a defaced poster of Saddam, two
peacocks and three monkeys in the room, and the half-eaten
carcass of a zebra. The soldiers rise and half-bow to Archie.
FRIENDLY IRAQI SOLDIER
Food? You give food?
ARCHIE GATES
We don't have any food.
DOC
Where'd you get these animals from?
IMAM
(translates)
Kishan tramai jahal?
FRIENDLY IRAQI SOLDIER
Kuwait Zoo. Nabal hazala fan taq.
IMAM
This is for you, my friend, to eat
if you are hungry.
The Iraqi Soldier offers a live monkey to Archie.
ARCHIE GATES
No, thank you.
IMAM
They're not barbarians, they're
starving.
DOC
I'm getting really dizzy, man.
Vig sticks out a WHITE TONGUE and nods.
ARCHIE GATES
We need water.
FRIENDLY IRAQI SOLDIER
Water all gone. No one have water.
ARCHIE GATES
Radio?
FRIENDLY IRAQI
No radio.
ARCHIE GATES
No radio, no water, but yes CNN.
The other Iraqis nod their heads and laugh nervously.
FRIENDLY IRAQI SOLDIER
George Bush get rid Saddam.
ARCHIE GATES
Not exactly.
FRIENDLY IRAQI SOLDIER
Congratulation!
He embraces Archie, who looks at Imam.
ARCHIE GATES
Would you explain to these
gentlemen that we need a vehicle
of some kind?
INT. BUNKER GARAGE - DAY
It is dark. With a click, several bare ceiling lights come
on. Archie, Doc, Vig, stare in amazement: It's an underground
garage filled with nine luxury cars: A ROLLS ROYCE, a JAGUAR,
a MERCEDES, an INFINITI CONVERTIBLE, FOUR CADILLACS, a WHITE
STRETCH LIMOUSINE. The friendly Iraqi smiles.
FRIENDLY IRAQI SOLDIER
From Kuwait.
Doc stops at the convertible.
DOC
Could I ask a question?
The Iraqi deserters look at him.
DOC
Does Lexus make this model?
FRIENDLY IRAQI SOLDIER
No. Infiniti convertible only.
FRIENDLY IRAQI 2
No Lexus convertible.
DOC
Exactly what I said.
ARCHIE GATES
Listen. We use these cars to go
fight Saddam soldiers.
The Friendly Iraqi looks at Doc and laughs.
DOC
What's so funny?
FRIENDLY IRAQI SOLDIER
Cannot take.
DOC
What do you mean, cannot take? We
kicked Saddam's ass. We definitely
take.
ARCHIE GATES
We are the United States military.
The Iraqi laughs.
IMAM
You're three guys with a bunch of
Shiites and no Humvee.
FRIENDLY IRAQI SOLDIER
Need money. Have no money. To eat.
To live. Kish falan azar yat imal
tanat.
IMAM
He says the Americans have many
tanks, many airplanes. We have
nothing.
The Iraqis do not look happy. Imam does simultaneous
translation as Archie holds forth.
ARCHIE GATES
We will rise up together.
IMAM
Jihala vamat.
ARCHIE GATES
Rise up together.
Doc and Vig look taken aback as Archie goes messianic.
ARCHIE GATES
Look at us. Working together. Many
races, many nations. Tell him, Doc.
DOC
We are united.
They raise their joined hands together.
ARCHIE GATES
United. George Bush wants YOU --
DOC
To stand up for yourself.
FRIENDLY IRAQI SOLDIER
George Bush.
ARCHIE GATES
He wants YOU --
DOC
You.
VIG
Praise Jesus.
ARCHIE GATES
Make the fight for freedom on your
own.
DOC
Oh, yes, you can.
VIG
Go, baby, go.
Archie walks around, looking into the eyes of each Iraqi
soldier, touching them on the shoulders.
ARCHIE GATES
Then America will follow.
IMAM
Jahal yaqat.
DOC
Jahal yaqat, brothers.
ARCHIE GATES
God bless America, and God bless
a free Iraq.
Iraqis burst into cheers.
ARCHIE GATES
What do you say now, my friend?
FRIENDLY IRAQI
Cannot give car.
ARCHIE GATES
Then I guess we'll have to buy
them.
EXT. DESERT - DAY
The luxury cars ride across the desert, single file, Vuitton
bags strapped to the roofs.
INT. ROLLS ROYCE - DAY
VIG
Judas Priest will pump you, Doc --
DOC
I already had it with the Beach
Boys today.
VIG
One song.
Doc slams in a CD-- TRADITIONAL IRAQI FOLK WAILING PLAYS.
The Shiite riflemen in back smile as Vig scowls.
INT. INFINITI
Archie drives. Imam sits in passenger seat with his daughter
on his lap. They listen to Iraqi music.
EXT. DESERT - DAY
Shiites finish passing 92 Vuitton suitcases into a trench.
The bags are buried. Archie drives a stake to mark the spot.
ARCHIE GATES
We get our man, we come back to
pick up the gold --
IMAM
And my people.
ARCHIE GATES
My gold isn't here, and I mean all
of it, your people will not
survive.
Doc and Vig pull off distributor caps from the Cadillacs and
Limousine (but not the Jaguar) and put them in Doc's pack.
IMAM
I understand.
ARCHIE GATES
OK. Let's load and go.
Imam hugs and kisses his daughter goodbye and tries to put
her, crying, into the arms of an older woman.
VIG
Wait a second, I want to talk
about this plan some more --
ARCHIE GATES
We're going to drive in and get
Troy, exactly like we discussed.
VIG
I have a bad feeling like we're
gonna get wasted.
ARCHIE GATES
You're scared. It's good to be
scared when there's guns around.
Vig looks uneasy. Archie hums Bach's 'Gloria' and moves a
hand in the air, then puts his hands on Vig's shoulders and
SINGS THE BACH LOUD. Vig eventually joins in the chorus.
DOC
I'm cool. I'm all right.
He lies down and breathes with a hand on his chest as Archie
and Vig keep singing.
EXT. OPEN DESERT - DAY
Bach's B Minor Mass plays as the Mercedes, Infiniti, and
Rolls Royce Drive across the desert.
INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - OASIS BUNKER - DAY
The Interrogator finishes putting tissue in Troy's bleeding
nose.
TROY
Your son wouldn't be dead if
Saddam didn't invade Kuwait.
FANTASY - IRAQI SOLDIERS
smash the windows of a Benneton store, then a Cartier store.
INTERROGATOR (O.S.)
I know.
TROY (O.S.)
I heard about some bad shit that
happened there.
FANTASY - IRAQI SOLDIERS
drag patients from their hospital beds and AN IRAQI SOLDIER
dives on top of a crying NURSE and starts to rape her while
a BABY is taken from an incubator, which is stolen.
BACK TO THE SCENE
TROY
Who's got the sick country?
INTERROGATOR
Maybe Saddam is very crazy, right?
And then you are crazy to bomb all
of Iraq.
TROY
Too much bombing is crazy, but not
saving Kuwait.
INTERROGATOR
You come here to save Kuwait
people?
TROY
Yes.
INTERROGATOR
Really?
(to the Second Iraqi)
Jahaza fan.
The Second Iraqi dips a bucket into an oil drum.
INTERROGATOR
Lots of people in trouble around
this world, my man. You don't
fight no fahking war for them.
TROY
You invaded another country. You
can't do that.
INTERROGATOR
Why not, dude?
TROY
It makes the world crazy. You got
to keep it stable.
INTERROGATOR
For what? Your pick up truck?
TROY
No, for stability. Stabilize the
region.
The Interrogator pulls a CD from Troy's pocket and jams it
into Troy's mouth.
INTERROGATOR
This is your fahking stability, my
main man.
The Interrogator uses the CD as a funnel to force-feed the
crude oil into Troy's mouth as he pours it from the bucket.
EXT. RIM OF DUNE OVERLOOKING OASIS BUNKER
Archie, Doc, Vig, stand on a sand ridge and look down on the
Oasis bunker in the distance. Behind them are the three cars,
Imam, and a handful of Shiite gunmen. They get into the cars.
EXT. DUNES
An empty ridge. The Infiniti, Rolls, Mercedes shoot over it,
arcing down toward the bunker, engines roaring.
EXT. OASIS BUNKER
It is quiet. A Slim Jim is unwrapped as an IRAQI GUARD slowly
raises it to his mouth, bites it, chews, and looks puzzled at
the cars approaching in the distance.
HIGH WIDE SHOT - looking straight down.
The cars drive three abreast down the approach road to the
bunker. The Infiniti is in the middle, flanked by the Rolls
on the left and the Mercedes on the right.
INT. INFINITI
Vig looks scared as he drives the Infiniti straight toward
the bunker. A Shiite sits up front with him. Fifty yards from
the bunker, Vig turns sharply and drives in circles.
EXT. BUNKER
TWO IRAQI GUARDS, one chewing a Slim Jim, look bewildered as
they stare at the circling Infiniti fifty yards away.
INT. MERCEDES
Archie, with Imam in the passenger seat, two Shiites in back,
speeds the Mercedes past the guards, around the right side,
to the back side of the bunker, skidding across the sand.
AERIAL VIEW
The Mercedes and the Rolls diverge around the bunker on
either side: Rolls on the left, Mercedes on the right.
INT. ROLLS ROYCE
Doc drives the Rolls around the left, to the bunker's rear.
EXT. BUNKER
Iraqi soldiers fire a grenade that blows up right behind the
Rolls as Doc skids right up to a rear entrance of the bunker,
the grill touching the metal door. Doc parks, blockading the
rear door shut, and, with three Shiite riflemen, jumps out.
INT. INFINITI
A Shiite helps Vig wedge a piece of wood onto the gas pedal.
Vig suddenly grabs his hand in PAIN. The Shiite looks at him.
VIG
Splinter.
SHIITE
Come on.
EXT. INFINITI
Vig and the Shiite bail out of the moving Infiniti. Wads of
plastic explosive are taped to the grill of the car as it
speeds towards the bunker, then drifts to the side --
VIG
Go straight, go straight --
He jumps up and down and points, but the Infiniti goes far to
the side of the bunker and explodes into some ruins. The two
guards point their guns at Vig and the Shiite and they run
into the desert as bullets pop around them.
EXT. RIGHT SIDE OF BUNKER
Archie skids the Mercedes to a halt on the right side of the
bunker, jumps out, slams the door, followed by Imam and the
two other Shiites.
They run toward the bunker, Archie with a wad of plastic
explosive and nails in one hand and a cigarette lighter in
the other. He HEARS the CHIRP of a car alarm being activated
as he runs to the bunker.
Imam finds a vent hole on the low facade of the bunker, pulls
off a grill. Archie lights a fuse sticking out of the plastic
explosive, and drops it into the vent.
INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - DAY
Troy gags and spits, his front is covered in oil. The
Interrogator raises the bucket.
INTERROGATOR
Are you feeling stable enough for
more?
An EXPLOSION elsewhere in the bunker causes the lights to
flicker out.
INT. BUNKER CORRIDOR
Iraqi soldiers scurry in the darkness with flashlights. They
go to the rear door, pile up in the dark, pushing.
EXT. REAR OF BUNKER
The parked Rolls Royce blockades the rear door.
EXT. SIDE OF BUNKER
Archie and Imam run back to the Mercedes, but the car is
locked, his pistol sits inside on the front seat. A GUNSHOT
from the bunker roof shatters the window of the Mercedes,
setting off THE CAR ALARM.
Archie reaches in, grabs his pistol, and bolts as a launched
grenade blows the Mercedes.
EXT. FRONT OF BUNKER - DAY
12 Iraqi soldiers pour out of the smoking bunker as 3 Shiite
riflemen with Doc fire on them. Two Iraqis go down, with only
the sound of bullets piercing their flesh.
6 Iraqis run for it, into the desert. 2 Iraqis throw their
hands up in surrender while 2 look ambivalent, one holds a
stack of new Levis. Doc raises a hand to stop his Shiite
gunmen from firing, but they fire anyway and 3 Iraqis fire
back -- the Shiite next to Doc is hit in the face.
DOC
Stop shooting, what's the matter
with you?
He reaches out and holds the rifle of a Shiite. Everyone
stops firing, slowly the Iraqis drop their guns. Doc has WET
HIS PANTS.
Archie runs up from the right, grabs Doc's arm and they run
past surrendering Iraqi soldiers and into the front entrance.
of the bunker. Imam takes cover on the side of the bunker
while Shiites and Iraqis aim at each other.
Vig approaches cautiously from the desert, HEARS AN AIRCRAFT,
and looks up. An Iraqi helicopter comes in fast and opens
FIRE with MACHINE GUNS --
VIG
Shit.
Vig runs toward the bunker for cover, but is cut off by
MACHINE GUN FIRE from THE CHOPPER. Shiites FIRE rifles up at
the chopper.
INT. IRAQI CHOPPER
Chips of metal and plastic fly off as bullets hit the
chopper. Arabic chatter is heard over a crackling radio.
POV - FROM INSIDE THE CHOPPER
100 feet below -- Vig and six remaining Shiite riflemen are
running into the desert away from the chopper.
EXT. DESERT - DAY
Vig and the six Shiites frantically search for cover.
The chopper FIRES and one of the Shiites running with Vig is
hit in the head, thrown by the force of the gunshot into Vig,
who goes down, faking it.
Vig lies face down, out of breath, with the dead Shiite on
top of him while the chopper hovers above.
VIG
Jesus God, I don't wanna get hit,
please Jesus, watch over me --
INT. BUNKER
It is dimly lighted by a few mounted emergency lights.
Archie and Doc run down the empty stairs, through the big
main room -- it is empty. Archie goes down the right side,
kicks open a door --
It's the bathroom full of stolen stuff and cell phones --
Doc goes down the left side of the room -- kicks in a door --
a room full of Benneton sweaters in all colors.
Archie kicks in a door -- a room with shelves full of large
snow globes, thousands of them.
Doc kicks in a door -- a room cluttered with debris, but
there is another door at the far side of the room. He
approaches and kicks it repeatedly, without success.
Archie kicks in a door -- it is pitch black -- an emergency
light flickers on and off -- revealing the two Iraqi
torturers at the control table, where one tries to fix the
emergency light with a screwdriver --
In flickering light -- Archie SHOOTS one Iraqi guard squarely
in the chest, then the other -- the only SOUND IS THE GUN
POPPING and the BULLETS TEARING into their bodies.
Archie turns to the Interrogator, who stands next to Troy.
INTERROGATOR
It's OK, buddy, we are just
talking now --
SLIGHTLY SLOW MOTION -- Archie shoots the Interrogator in the
thigh. THE ONLY SOUND IS GUN SHOOTING, FLESH TEARING --
Blood thinly splatters across Troy's face as the Interrogator
grimaces and falls to the floor. The light flicks on a few
beats, then off a few beats.
Archie rips the wires from the table controls, goes to Troy,
unhinges the wire from his jaw.
The Interrogator writhes in pain on the ground. Archie takes
the Interrogator's pistol, snaps open a knife, cuts the cord
binding Troy to the chair and gives Troy the pistol.
Troy sits, stained with oil, blood, tears. He gets up, looks
down at the interrogator on the floor, points the pistol into
the Interrogator's face.
The Interrogator stares at Troy, who stares back. Archie
watches, out of breath. Troy FIRES the gun just to the side
of the Interrogator's face, into the ground. The Interrogator
looks terrified, crying. Troy stares back, looks unhappy,
lowers the gun.
Troy and Archie look at each other for an intense moment.
ARCHIE GATES
Let's go.
INT. ANOTHER BUNKER ROOM
Doc shoots the lock on the inner door and it finally opens.
He looks inside and sees, in a sunken room, 50 more Shiite
civilians huddled together. Archie rushes by with Troy.
ARCHIE GATES
Come on.
INT. FRONT DOOR OF BUNKER - DAY
Archie and Troy run out of the bunker --
EXT. FRONT DOOR OF BUNKER - DAY
The chopper hovers right there. It FIRES A GRENADE which
EXPLODES next to Archie and Troy. They scramble back into the
bunker.
INT. FRONT DOOR OF BUNKER - DAY
Archie and Troy run into Doc at the door, knocking him over.
They crouch inside the door; the chopper hovers low outside.
EXT. DESERT - DAY
Vig gropes the sand for his glasses, crawling on his hands
and knees with the dead Shiite on his back.
VIG
You gotta be my disguise, Mr.
Shiite, cuz they need my help over
there --
EXT. DESERT - DAY
The six Iraqis who took oft from the bunker are still
running. Their CONVERSATION is in ARABIC and SUBTITLED in
ENGLISH.
TOUGH IRAQI
Let's go back and get them.
IRAQI #2
Fuck a donkey, no way.
TOUGH IRAQI
There's a chopper, we can do it.
He and another Iraqi stop while the other two keep running.
TOUGH IRAQI
They killed your families, you
fucking cowards.
The Tough Iraqi and his partner, sweating profusely, out of
breath, split up and head back toward the bunker.
INT. FRONT DOOR OF BUNKER - DAY
Archie's in great pain. He grimaces as he tightens the
bandage around his forearm. Troy is shaking uncontrollably.
Doc grabs Troy's shoulders firmly.
ARCHIE GATES
We're gonna get out of here alive,
just do what I say, do you hear me?
Troy nods. Archie pulls one of the football bombs wrapped in
C-4 from his small pack, and hands it to Doc.
Archie pretends to throw with nothing in his hand.
ARCHIE GATES
Step, throw, one-two -- I'm gonna
give it a five second fuse. That
gives you two steps out the door.
PAN ACROSS Troy and Doc listen intently.
Archie cuts the fuse on the ball with his knife.
The three of them stand at the door, ready. Archie holds his
pistol ready. Doc holds the football, Troy holds the lighter.
ARCHIE GATES
Wait --
EXT. BUNKER
Imam, lying in a ditch, is concealed on the side of the
bunker, and aims an old rifle at the chopper.
GUNSHOTS ring off the side of the chopper, chipping plastic.
The chopper banks toward Vig in response.
Vig watches the chopper turn toward him.
VIG
God help me.
INT. BUNKER
Troy flicks the lighter and with a shaking hand tries to
light the fuse. Archie steadies Troy's hand. The fuse is lit.
ARCHIE GATES
Go.
EXT. FRONT DOOR OF BUNKER - DAY
Archie FIRES his pistol as he goes out the door with Troy,
also FIRING a pistol. Doc follows with the ball, fuse burning.
Doc throws the ball hard at the chopper, hovering 40 feet up.
INT. CHOPPER
The chopper turns to face the ball just as it hits the
plexiglas window and bounces off, not exploding. The pilots
look perplexed. The ball hits the ground and EXPLODES.
EXT. BUNKER
Archie, Troy, Doc, stunned -- turn back to the bunker.
INT. BUNKER DOORWAY - DAY
They run inside and take cover, catch their breath. Troy and
Doc look terrified.
ARCHIE GATES
OK. Shorter fuse this time.
He pulls out the second ball, cuts another fuse, affixes it.
They wait at the door again, watching the chopper.
EXT. BUNKER
Imam, from the side of the bunker, FIRES again, the chopper
swivels toward him to RETURN FIRE --
INT. BUNKER
Troy lights the second fuse. They bolt out the door, Troy and
Archie FIRING pistols, Doc in the middle with the ball.
EXT. BUNKER
SLOW TO FREEZE FRAME MID-STRIDE -- with just THE SOUND OF THE
CHOPPER: Archie, Doc, Troy, three abreast, mid-stride.
RESUME REGULAR SPEED -- Doc unleashes the football.
PAN TO - SLIGHTLY SLOW MOTION -- the ball hits the chopper
broadside and THE CHOPPER EXPLODES INTO A BALL OF FIRE.
SLIGHTLY SLOW MOTION: The chopper comes crashing to the
ground in a heap of metal. The rotary spins off, whips over
Archie, Troy, and Doc's heads and smashes into the bunker.
Silence.
Troy and Doc look at each other, and punch their fists
together. Troy notices that he's wet his pants.
ARCHIE GATES
We're not done. Check every Iraqi
here.
Archie rolls over bodies lying on the ground, pulls out their
weapons. Troy and Doc take rifles from wounded Iraqis.
TROY
(agitated)
Where's Conrad?
ARCHIE GATES
Don't let your guard down.
Doc nervously scans the area with his pistol pointed.
50 Shiite prisoners start streaming out of the bunker.
ARCHIE GATES
Stay there, don't move.
Imam directs the Shiites to stay clustered near the bunker.
IMAM
Jakar yizam ut naral --
TROY
How are we getting back?
DOC
We got the Rolls.
An IRAQI SOLDIER jumps up just as Archie knocks him to the
ground from behind and twists the gun away. Doc binds the
soldier's hands with a plastic cuff.
TROY
You got a Rolls?
ARCHIE GATES
It's been a busy day.
Archie pulls pistols from the bloody bodies of the two Iraqis
in the chopper.
TROY
Hey. That's a convertible.
He points to the flaming wrecked Infiniti.
ARCHIE GATES
Keep your fucking guard up.
TROY
Is that leather interior?
DOC
I think he's in shock.
TROY
It's a fucking Infiniti
convertible, isn't it?
DOC
Yes.
TROY
OK. So I owe you a car. I'm not in
shock.
ARCHIE GATES
We can talk about cars later, OK?
TROY
Freeze --
He points his pistol at Imam.
IMAM
Take it easy.
TROY
Who is this guy?
ARCHIE GATES
He's with us.
Troy and Imam look at each other a moment, Troy still points
his pistol at Imam.
TROY
You're the guy with the little
girl.
IMAM
That's right.
TROY
What are you doing here?
ARCHIE GATES
He helped us find you.
TROY
All right. You're all right.
He hugs Imam.
TROY
How's your girl?
IMAM
She's safe. For the moment.
TROY
All right. Excellent. How can we
help?
DOC
Calm down, man.
TROY
I'm calm. Don't I look calm?
IMAM
We had a deal to get us to the
border, but we need more vehicles
for these people.
Troy moves nervously.
TROY
We're gonna work it out. We can do
it. We have to work it out.
DOC
I'm not sure how. This is a lot of
people.
TROY
OK, you choose who we take. You
tell the others it's not
convenient, they'll have to die.
DOC
Take it easy, man.
TROY
You think I don't know what I'm
saying. I know what I'm saying.
We're gonna do more than steal,
that's what I'm saying. We're
gonna help these people out.
IMAM
This guy was worth saving.
ARCHIE GATES
He's a soldier.
Troy and Archie look at each other, smile slightly.
VIG (O.S.)
Yes. Yes. All right.
They all turn to look.
WIDE SHOT -- Vig pops up in the desert, 150 yards away.
VIG
You made it.
Vig comes running.
VIG
I thought that was you. Yeah.
Troy smiles as he steps in the direction of Vig. Suddenly a
RIFLE SHOT RINGS OUT, Troy jumps.
SLIGHTLY SLOW MOTION -- Vig is hit in the collar bone, ONLY
THE SOUND OF THE BULLET SMASHING HIS FLESH AND BONE. He is
jerked, falls to his knees, but gets up, keeps staggering
toward Troy, 125 yards away.
Troy looks stunned.
Archie turns sharply to his right and FIRES a rifle.
An IRAQI SOLDIER, 150 yards to the side, drops to the ground
as Archie and Doc continue to hit him with gunfire.
Troy runs as hard as he can toward Vig.
ARCHIE GATES
Cover him.
Doc looks around frantically with his pistol pointed. Archie
scans the area and directs 3 SHIITE RIFLEMEN to spread out.
ARCHIE GATES
Lock it down. Shoot anything that
moves.
IMAM
(translates)
Haza janav yasat.
Troy runs, catches the staggering Vig in his arms and
embraces him. Blood runs from Vig's mouth, onto Troy's
shoulder, as Vig tries to talk.
VIG
You made it, man --
Troy cries as he runs with Vig in his arms.
TROY
Help him.
Doc takes Vig from Troy's arms and carefully lays him on the
ground, cradling his head in his lap. Vig spits blood.
VIG
What happened to the Jesus fire,
Doc?
DOC
It's around you right now, man, it
works on this side or the other
side.
VIG
You never told me that part. I
guess I could go to one of them
shrines that erase the bad you
did --
TROY
We made the right choice today,
Conrad.
VIG
We did good, right?
TROY
We made the right choice.
The hole in Vig's collar bone is pumping out blood. Troy puts
his hands over it. Doc looks sad and scared as he tries to
turns Vig's head to help him breathe.
DOC
Dear Lord watch over this man,
help him if you can. Our father
who art in heaven --
50 Shiites -- children and adults -- sit on the ground near
the bunker watch from afar.
Troy stands up looking around helplessly.
TROY
Help.
DOC
-- hallowed be thy name, thy
kingdom come, thy will be done --
A gunshot rings out and -- slightly slow motion -- hits Troy
in the lower right chest -- and comes out again three inches
over, piercing a thin piece of his side -- with only the
sound of tearing tissue. Troy looks stunned as he is spun
around by the shot.
Archie spins around in the desert and looks at Troy.
ARCHIE GATES
Goddamn it.
He runs hard across the desert toward Troy.
Troy falls next to Vig and they look at each other.
Troy's eyes are wide with pain as he breathes with great
difficulty -- RASPING.
INT. TROY'S RIB CAGE
His breathing creates an air pocket, crushing his organs to
the left side.
TROY'S POV
looking up at Doc, who is saying something to Troy, but
there's NO SOUND EXCEPT TROY'S LABORED BREATHING
The POV turns to the side -- Vig is no longer breathing.
FLASHBACK TO THE OPENING SCENE, but with weird, MUFFLED
SOUND
SOLDIER #5
Take my picture.
VIG
Do you still want to sell pictures?
TROY
(distracted monotone)
For twenty.
SOLDIER #5
Twenty bucks?
VIG
War's been over five days, ain't
gonna be any more of this, Jim.
SOLDIER #5
Twenty dollars, man, what's the
meaning of life?
TROY
You're lucky you got to see
anybody shot in this war.
SOLDIER #5
Bobby, take my picture.
He holds the camera out.
SOLDIER #4
If he shot the guy, it's up to him.
SOLDIER #5
It's not like he shot a fucking
deer. It's the enemy.
VIG
It's Troy's enemy, yours for
twenty.
BACK TO THE SCENE - CLOSE UP
Troy lies on the ground, trying to breathe, eyes wide.
TROY'S POV
Archie and Imam step into frame. Archie looks down at Troy,
opens his waist pack, pulls out a sterile wrapped scalpel.
TROY'S POV TURNS TO THE SIDE --
FISH EYE LENS - The Jaguar pulls up in SLIGHTLY SLOW MOTION.
Imam's Little Girl gets out of the passenger side, SLIGHTLY
SLOW MOTION, NO SOUND. Imam scolds her and gesticulates,
indicating she should be back with the others where it is
safe. The Little Girl embraces Imam and stares down at Troy
over her father's shoulder.
EXT. DESERT
Troy's eyes are wide, staring up at the Girl as he has great
difficulty breathing. Archie rolls Troy's shirt up, exposing
Troy's chest, with the bullet wound. Archie points to a spot
on Troy's upper chest, near the collar bone --
Doc squeezes a small tube of brown disinfectant gel onto this
spot -- the only sounds are the squirt of the ointment and
Troy's breathing.
Archie looks nervous, then focussed as he brings the shiny
metal scalpel down. Troy is in great pain as he watches
Archie plunge the scalpel into his upper chest. Archie twists
the scalpel to open the incision wide --
There is a pronounced HISSING as trapped air rushes out. Huge
relief comes over Troy's face as he breathes normally.
Regular sound FADES BACK IN, THE FIRST SOUND IS THE GIRL'S
THIN, INTERMITTENT HUMMING --
TROY'S POV FROM THE GROUND, LOOKING UP
ARCHIE GATES
I've been waiting 18 years to get
that right.
He tears open a short I.V. tube and plunges the I.V. into the
scalpel hole. There is a small valve on the end of the tube,
which he tightens.
A GUNSHOT SOUNDS -- Archie turns and looks over --
EXT. DESERT
FIVE SHIITE RIFLE MEN chase down and shoot, at 30 yards, the
last Iraqi gunner in the desert.
Troy sits up slowly and watches for a moment.
EXT. FRONT OF THE BUNKER - LATER
Shiite women and children chant and pray around Vig's corpse
as it lies in the open trunk of the Jaguar. Archie, Troy and
Doc stand together watching. Troy and Doc do a muted version
of Vig's Karate arm dance as they look down at his corpse.
TROY
He's got no family.
Archie sadly takes Vig's big pistol from Vig's clenched hand.
ARCHIE GATES
We're his family now.
DOC
He wanted to go to one of those
shrines.
IMAM
Kajatar in Iran. We can take him.
Archie takes Vig's glasses off.
ARCHIE GATES
Good. Take him.
EXT. DESERT - LATER
Archie fills a single rusted oil drum with gold bars and
tapes it shut. Troy sits in a folding chair nearby. He looks
pained and uncomfortable.
ARCHIE GATES
Air pressure will build up about
every fifteen minutes. Release the
valve, close it up again.
Archie unscrews the valve on the tube in Troy's chest, and
air hisses out. Troy looks relieved. Archie closes the valve.
TROY
How long can I keep doing this?
ARCHIE GATES
Maybe four hours, if you're not
bleeding too bad inside.
TROY
I'm really thirsty.
DOC
There's no water anywhere.
IMAM
(to Archie)
I got you hooked up if you want to
call your man.
EXT. DESERT - LATER
Archie operates a radio hooked up to a car battery.
ARCHIE GATES
(into the radio)
Tar Baby, this is Brer Rabbit, do
you read me?
DOC
We're gonna be court-martialed.
ARCHIE GATES
No, we're not.
Troy watches, tense.
ARCHIE GATES
(into the radio)
Tar Baby, this is Brer Rabbit, are
you reading this?
EXT. DESERT - DAY
Walter drives the motorcycle, nude, wearing his helmet with
radio attachment. Smithson and Paco ride along.
Archie is heard in a crackling radio transmission inside
Walter's helmet. Walter speaks into the small mouthpiece.
WALTER
(into radio)
This is Tar Baby, come in.
ARCHIE GATES (O.S.)
Where are you?
WALTER
(into radio)
About two clicks outside camp.
ARCHIE GATES (O.S.)
We're about ready for the briar
patch, over.
WALTER
(into the radio)
Right.
He looks uncertain, worried.
ARCHIE GATES (O.S.)
You got me, Tar Baby?
WALTER
I think so -- who handles the
briar patch?
ARCHIE GATES (O.S.)
You do.
WALTER
Oh, OK, and the Tar Baby goes to
the briar patch if everything's
OK, right?
ARCHIE GATES (O.S.)
No, the other way around.
WALTER
Shit, I'm sorry, sir, I don't
remember how the code goes --
INTERCUT WITH Archie, who looks exasperated. He is sweating
with a fever and his arm hurts.
ARCHIE GATES
Six personnel trucks and a Humvee.
WALTER
Wow. That's a tall order for a
secret operation, sir.
ARCHIE GATES
Talk to my friend Hash. Each
driver will get 100K.
WALTER
Did you say 100K?
ARCHIE GATES
Roger. Brer Rabbit at 239 North.
Add one medavac pack to the order,
and dump the reporter.
WALTER
Roger. Give me two hours.
INT. COMPANY B RADIO TENT - DAY
TWO DECODERS sit at a table wearing headphones. One writes
down: "BRER RABBIT AT 239 NORTH, DUMP THE REPORTER."
INT. BUNKER - DAY
CLOSE UP A SNOW GLOBE is shaken and little green dollars
swirl inside the little world, settling upon an early desert
oasis, old buildings, palm trees, donkeys, Three Kings,
peasants carrying the baby Jesus, and a Mobil gas station.
WIDER TO REVEAL HUNDREDS OF SNOW GLOBES are pulled from the
shelves and put into old cloth bags.
EXT. BUNKER - DAY
Doc cracks open a snow globe with pliers as all the water and
dollars drain out. Imam filters the water through a cheese
cloth held above an urn.
CLOSE ON the plastic Three Kings and Baby Jesus with the
Mobil gas station glisten in the wet palm of Archie's hand.
Archie looks at the Three Kings in his hand.
Troy cracks open a snow globe, filters water with a Shiite.
Dozens of Shiites are doing the same.
Archie passes an urn to some parched Shiites who drink the
water thirstily. Troy, Doc do the same.
EXT. B COMPANY RADIO TENT - DAY
Captain Van Meter, General Horn, and two radio decoders stand
looking at logs of transmissions.
CAPTAIN VAN METER
There's so many transmissions --
GENERAL HORN
Narrow it down to what sounds like
Archie Gates and a Humvee.
A Humvee with HAVICHON and Walter drives by behind the
oblivious General, leading a convoy of several trucks.
GENERAL HORN
I want a direction, we're not
gonna comb the whole goddamn
desert --
A PRIVATE runs up and hands General Horn a paper.
PRIVATE
This is from Barlow's C.O. at Fort
Bragg, something with his wife.
GENERAL HORN
(reads)
Fort Bragg? I'll be damned.
Walter and Hash drive past Smithson and Paco and Cathy.
BILL SMITHSON
Where the hell is he going now?
CATHY DAITCH
I say we keep watching the General.
She takes off and Smithson follows her.
EXT. DESERT - DAY
Imam pours gasoline on a pile of Vuitton suitcases,
Troy throws a match, the suitcases go up in a rush of fire.
EXT. DESERT - LATER
Imam hands two gold bars to a Shiite peasant, who takes them
and moves on. There are two long lines of Shiite peasants
patiently waiting to get their gold, as it is handed out by
Imam and another Shiite while, Archie, Troy, and Doc watch.
Shiites stash their gold bars inside their clothing and bags.
LATER
Everyone sits and waits: Archie, Troy, Doc, Imam, his
daughter, 105 Shiite peasants.
Troy looks pained, then releases the valve on the tube
sticking through his chest bandage and there is a hiss of
air. He looks relieved.
There is the SOUND OF DISTANT MOTORS RUMBLING. An approaching
convoy in the desert: six open U.S. personnel trucks, led by
a Humvee.
Archie, Troy, Doc, Imam, his daughter, dozens of Shiites
watch the convoy approaching -- they hold their guns ready.
The U.S. Military trucks and the Humvee pull up to the bunker.
Walter stands in the front of the Humvee with Hash, both
wearing sand goggles as they pull up -- Walter salutes.
HAVICHON
Quelle gonzesse, Archie, you got
yourself shot.
ARCHIE GATES
Those better be words of sympathy.
6 ARMY DRIVERS, among them the disillusioned infantrymen
interviewed by Bill Smithson earlier, get out of their
vehicles, greeted by Doc, Archie, and Imam.
Walter walks up, carrying a medical pack.
WALTER
Watcha doing out here, Troy?
They bang fists in greeting.
TROY
Protecting the free peoples of the
world, Walter, you know how it is.
WALTER
We better get you fixed up to go
home to the land of the brave.
Walter pushes an I.V. needle into Troy's arm.
TROY
Give me that penicillin, baby.
Doc pushes an I.V. needle into Archie's arm and tapes the
penicillin sack to Archie's shirt.
HAVICHON
Where ees bullion at, my man?
ARCHIE GATES
Bullion ees buried. I'll show you
after we get these people to the
border.
HAVICHON
Iranian border?
ARCHIE GATES
Part of the deal.
HAVICHON
C'est super, Archie, you got
yourself a pain in the ass mission
of mercy.
WALTER
Sorry I fucked up the code, sir.
ARCHIE GATES
It means we gotta move. They might
be coming for us.
Bach's "Gloria" plays powerfully.
Shiites pile into the six open trucks. The lone oil can full
of gold is loaded, as well. Imam and his daughter are helped
into a truck by Doc. Archie whistles loud from the front seat
of the Humvee -- which leads the way as the convoy pulls out.
Doc, in the back of a truck with Shiites, waves.
Troy smiles as he sits in the back of a crowded truck with
Imam, his daughter, and other Shiites.
HIGH, WIDE CURVING HELICOPTER SHOT
The six truck convoy, led by the Humvee, rolls across the two-
lane desert road.
EXT. BASE CAMP - B COMPANY - DAY
SIX APACHE CHOPPERS are ROARING on the ground as Captain Van
Meter, his White Assistant, and General Horn board a chopper.
Smithson, Paco, and Cathy and her CAMERA MAN rush aboard the
last chopper in the line.
EXT. DESERT - DAY
The Humvee slows to a halt.
Archie stands in the front of the Humvee with a rifle at his
side -- looking straight ahead -- concerned. Troy, Doc, Imam,
and daughter stare ahead, concerned
EXT. THE IRANIAN BORDER
50 yards ahead -- a low wall of razor wire.
100 yards beyond it, dozens of Iraqi tanks are lined up along
the border, 100 feet apart, stretching into the distance
either way. There are 50 IRAQI GROUND TROOPS standing at the
border station, marked by razor wire on the one-lane road.
On the far side of the border, IRANIAN SOLDIERS with RELIEF
WORKERS wearing RED CRESCENTS wait by white school buses and
stare at the American convoy.
EXT. IRAQI SIDE OF THE BORDER
Archie stares at the border, thinking.
Imam helps Troy down from the truck. Doc carries the Little
Girl.
HAVICHON
What are you seenking?
ARCHIE GATES
I see an opening we can walk
through. But it's not wide enough
for a truck.
Archie gets out of the Humvee and looks at the border.
ARCHIE GATES
We'll walk them to the border. The
Iranians will take them. We'll
walk back to the trucks and get
out of here.
Doc turns and signals to the drivers to come up.
Troy takes the safety off his M-16.
5 U.S.Drivers get out with their rifles ready. They release
the safeties. Havichon, with his leg in a cast, stays back to
man the mounted machine gun on the Humvee. Iraqi soldiers on
the border nervously watch the Americans and the Shiites,
holding their machine guns.
INT. IRAQI TANK - DAY
POV THROUGH IRAQI GUN SIGHT -- cross hairs pan from Doc, to
Troy, to Imam, to Archie.
EXT. BORDER
ARCHIE GATES
Make a close group.
IMAM
(translates)
Jihad yamat -- yamat.
105 Shiites empty the trucks and gather in a crowd that walks
toward the border. Two Shiite men carry Vig's body, wrapped
in Arabic cloths.
Archie, Troy, Doc, lead the crowd single file through a
narrow opening in the razor wire. On the other side, the
crowd spreads out and keeps walking. Archie, Troy, and Doc
walk three abreast, 7 feet apart, rifles ready.
Imam and Walter are behind, flanking them.
FACES: CLOSE DOLLY - SHIITE Children, Women, Men, as they
fearfully walk toward the border. The five U.S. Drivers flank
the Shiites on either side, rifles ready.
PAN TO - Troy suddenly drops to one knee.
DOC
Let the air out.
TROY
It's not the air, I don't know
what it is --
DOC
Stay back.
TROY
I'm all right. I'm just dizzy or
something --
EXT. IRAN SIDE OF THE BORDER
Iranian soldiers and relief workers stand watching.
PAN AROUND TO - IRANIAN SIDE POV
The backs of the Iraqi troops and tanks, and the approaching
Shiites and Americans, walking in the distance.
EXT. IRAQI SIDE OF THE BORDER
Archie helps Troy as they walk three abreast with Doc.
CHOPPERS ARE HEARD in the distance. They grow LOUDER. Imam
turns and looks back. Archie turns around and looks.
SIX APACHE CHOPPERS approach from the distance
CLOSE DOLLY Archie.
ARCHIE GATES
Double time.
He lets go of Troy and starts jogging toward the border. Troy
cannot jog, he crouches down, and is passed by the others.
The Shiites look up at the choppers as they jog. Doc and
Walter look up also. Archie does not.
Havichon in the Humvee swings the mounted gun up to the
choppers as they pass overhead, loud.
PAN UP TO Six Apaches hover over everyone's heads and land in
the 50 yards between Archie and the border, blocking his
path, blowing up dust.
Archie, Troy, Doc, Imam, the Shiites turn and wince in the
blowing sand.
10 U.S. MILITARY POLICE jump from the landing choppers,
followed by another TEN U.S. TROOPS with rifles.
Iraqi soldiers watch apprehensively.
M.P.S grab Archie, Troy, And Doc, and pull them away from
the Shiites.
Troy shouts over the choppers.
TROY
Wait.
U.S. soldiers push the Shiites toward the border.
The Shiites, including two who carry Vig's body, run toward
the border unaccompanied by American protection.
ARCHIE GATES
Let them get over the border.
Troy pulls away from MPS, resisting arrest.
TROY
Let them get over, wait --
Plastic handcuffs are put onto Troy, behind his back.
TROY
I have to reach this --
Archie and Doc, not resisting, are handcuffed in front --
ARCHIE GATES
Put his cuffs in front.
He and Doc are pulled away from Troy.
Iraqi soldiers take the Shiites prisoner, grabbing them,
throwing some to the ground. Troy looks over his shoulder at
this as Imam's daughter is ripped from his arms and he is
thrown to the ground and dragged.
TROY
Look what's happening.
He collapses to one knee.
CAPTAIN VAN METER
Not our mission, Barlow.
Troy grimaces on the ground, he can't breathe, but the cuffs
prevent him from releasing his valve. Troy struggles.
TROY
Cut my cuffs --
Captain Van Meter leans down to Troy. He shouts over the
choppers.
CAPTAIN VAN METER
You fucked me and you're fucked
now, so shut your goddamn mouth.
Shiites are lined up in a firing squad.
DOC
He's gonna die.
Troy lies on the ground suffocating. Archie drags the MP
holding him as he goes to General Horn.
ARCHIE GATES
Goddamn it, Ron, give him medical
attention, don't let him die --
GENERAL HORN
We are not involved in the Shiite
problem, do you understand
me? You are AWOL, you are a
fugitive, you are under arrest.
ARCHIE GATES
Cut his cuffs.
General Horn walks away as MPS stare at Troy on the ground,
concerned.
A US SOLDIER stares -- upset by what's happening, reaches in
his pocket, pulls out a hunting knife, pops the blade,
crouches down to Troy, exchanges a look with the MP standing
by, and cuts Troy's plastic cuffs. Troy reaches with
difficulty to the valve on his chest turns it -- and breathes.
Archie looks at Troy, then up at the border.
Imam and the Shiites are lined up in a firing squad. Vig's
body is dropped in the sand.
ARCHIE GATES
We got the gold.
GENERAL HORN
What?
ARCHIE GATES
We got the Kuwaiti bullion.
GENERAL HORN
Bullshit.
Archie pulls away from the MPs holding him and runs toward
the lead truck -- where MPs grab and wrestle him down.
ARCHIE GATES
Pull that barrel.
GENERAL HORN
Pull it.
An MP jumps into the truck, pushes the barrel over; 30 gold
bars spill to the sand.
The General looks at the gold. Troy and Doc, held in custody,
watch. The General makes a 'CUT' signal to the choppers --
and the chopper engines cut off and whir down; it grows QUIET.
THE U.S. Soldiers -- holding Walter and the Drivers in
custody -- stand and watch Archie.
GENERAL HORN
How much do you have?
ARCHIE GATES
4 tons.
General Horn picks up a gold brick.
GENERAL HORN
Where's it at?
TROY
Get them over first.
ARCHIE GATES
They helped us get it, Ron. I made
a deal, and that's soldier's
honor. You can't fuck them now.
General Horn looks at Archie.
ARCHIE GATES
You can return this gold, be a big
hero, get another star maybe.
Everyone stares at General Horn. After a pause, the General
fires his pistol into the air.
Iraqi soldiers freeze as they are about to fire on the
Shiites.
GENERAL HORN
Let's go, Doug.
Captain Van Meter and General Horn walk 40 yards to the
frozen Iraqi soldiers and the terrified Shiites.
Archie, Troy, Doc in handcuffs with MPS, watch.
Walter and the other U.S. Soldiers watch from afar as
Captain Van Meter and General Horn walk into the midst of
Iraqi soldiers.
GENERAL HORN
Who's in charge here?
An OLDER IRAQI GENERAL steps forward and salutes.
GENERAL HORN
We have to talk about this
situation.
Archie, Troy, Doc, U.S. soldiers watch from a distance.
ARCHIE'S POV FROM AFAR
General Horn talks to the Iraqi general.
BACK TO THE SCENE
U.S. Soldiers watch.
TROY'S POV FROM AFAR
General Horn and Captain Van Meter walk back toward them.
It is QUIET. No one says anything.
Pan across Paco taping.
BILL SMITHSON
In a morbid tableau these men have
recovered some of the gold bullion
stolen from Kuwait --
CATHY DAITCH
--in violation of American policy,
saved over a hundred Shiite
refugees while recovering stolen
Kuwaiti gold --
GENERAL HORN
Turn that damn camera off.
He walks up and forcibly pushes the camera to the ground, Van
Meter pushes Cathy's camera down.
BILL SMITHSON
That's a 75 thousand dollar
camera --
GENERAL HORN
What the fuck are they doing here?
SARGEANT
I thought they were authorized --
GENERAL HORN
They are not fucking authorized,
for Christ's sake --
MPs take the tapes from the cameras.
GENERAL HORN
Haven't I taken care of you,
dammit?
He signals the choppers to start up.
THE CHOPPER ENGINES SLOWLY WHINE into gear.
CATHY DAITCH
I'm gonna get that tape back.
General Horn walks over to Troy, Archie, and Doc.
GENERAL HORN
You are under arrest. You are
going to be court-martialed. And
you will show us where the bullion
is right now.
He walks into a chopper, which is now revving at full speed.
PAN TO Troy, Archie, Doc turn to the border and watch.
Walter, the handcuffed Drivers, the MPS and other U.S.
Soldiers also watch.
The Shiites are released by the Iraqis. They collect
themselves and gather in a group. The group walks over the
border and is received by the relief workers.
Troy, Archie, Doc watch. A U.S. Soldier WHISTLES through the
loud choppers.
SOLDIER #10
Yeah.
Then another Soldier joins in, WHISTLING and CLAPPING.
Then another soldier, until all twenty U.S.
Soldiers and MPs present are whistling and cheering Troy,
Archie, and Doc as they stand there while the choppers throb.
50 yards away: Imam holds his daughter, on the Iran side,
about to get into a Red Crescent bus.
Imam and his daughter wave.
Archie raises his handcuffed wrists to wave back; Troy and
Doc follow, raising their cuffed hands to wave.
Freeze frame.
"I Get Around" by the Beach Boys KICKS ON.
CUT TO
Text over black: Troy Barlow, Archie Gates, and Doc Elgin
were court-martialed and convicted of disobeying orders and
the wrongful death of Conrad Vig.
They each served eighteen months in a military prison. Bill
Smithson and Cathy Daitch's testimony resulted in reduced
sentences.
Troy Barlow runs his own carpet company in Torrance, Cal.
INT. TROY'S CARPET COMPANY - (MOS)
"I Get Around" CONTINUES. Troy excitedly gives instructions
to workers carrying out big rolls of carpet. He wears a short
sleeved white shirt and a dark tie. His wife gives his two
year old daughter to him as she holds a new baby and Troy
uses a respiratory inhaler.
CUT TO
Text over black: Doc Elgin applied to the U.S. Army Rangers,
but was denied. He then turned down Troy Barlow's offer to
partner in the carpet business and plans to join Archie
Gates' company.
EXT. KENNEDY AIRPORT - CURBSIDE (MOS)
MUSIC CONTINUES: Doc Elgin takes Vuitton bags curbside at
Kennedy airport and is given a ten dollar tip.
CUT TO
Text over black: Archie gates became a military consultant in
Hollywood.
FILM SET - (MOS)
MUSIC CONTINUES: Archie on a film set, wearing sunglasses,
shows an action star how to push away the barrel of a bad
guy's rifle.
CUT TO
Text over black: Saddam Hussein is still in power. Shiite
refugees are still in Iran. Late in 1991, Iraq returned the
gold to the government of Kuwait . . . which claimed that
some was missing.