"BASIC" by Jamie Vanderbilt First Draft March 27, 2000 OVER BLACK: The sound of HELICOPTER ROTORS slicing through the air. STYLES (O.S.) Jesus, God... FADE IN ON: An ARMY HELICOPTER as it soars over the thick LOUISIANA BAYOU. Lush and green only a day ago, the foliage below has been ripped to shreds. The kind of damage that can only be done by nature. SUPERIMPOSE:, FEBRUARY 2 - 0630 HOURS - 32 KILOMETERS NORTH OF FORT MCKINLEY, LOUISIANA INT. ARMY HELICOPTER (FLYING) -- SUNRISE Sitting next to the PILOT is COLONEL WILLIAM STYLES. Mid- 40's, normally gruff, but completely cowed by the damage below. The PILOT, unfazed. PILOT Hurricane Beth, huh? Had an ex-wife named Beth, this is pretty much par for the course. This area got the worst of it, I hope these guys are all intact -- STYLES That's enough, Lieutenant. SOMEONE'S P.O.V. - RUNNING through the underbrush -- ducking branches, pushing through bushes, splashing through streams. LABORED BREATHING wheezes over the sound track. We're headed for a CLEARING... INT. ARMY HELICOPTER (FLYING) -- SUNRISE The Pilot pushes his stick forward, descending to tree level. PILOT Coming up on the pick-up. EXT. CLEARING -- DAWN TWO MEN emerge from the underbrush at a run. The BIGGER MAN carrying the wounded SMALLER MAN over his shoulder. Both in ragged army cadet fatigues -- ripped, muddy, and bloody. The Bigger Man lowers the Smaller Man to the ground and unshoulders his M-16. Face panicked. The sound of the HELICOPTER approaching... INT. ARMY HELICOPTER (FLYING) -- SUNRISE The unmistakable SOUND OF GUNFIRE from below. PILOT Holy shit, that's live fire! As the Helicopter comes over the clearing, Styles and the Pilot squint down through the windscreen to see the Two Men, huddled together as BULLET HITS kick up DUST around them! STYLES Who's shooting at them -- The Bigger Man raising his own his weapon and RETURNING FIRE. The Smaller Man frantically waving the Helicopter down... PILOT I can't see -- Below, the Bigger Man still shooting and then he lowers his rifle and there's only SILENCE. No return fire. And then Styles sees why. A THIRD MAN. Lying by the treeline. Chest torn open by gunfire. Obviously dead. His clothes -- the same fatigues the first two men are wearing. STYLES That was one of their own, he just shot one of their own men -- PILOT Who was trying to shoot them -- STYLES Get us on the ground! EXT. CLEARING -- SUNRISE As the Helicopter comes in for a landing, the Bigger Man kneels next to the Smaller Man, who bleeds from a bullet wound to the arm. His face, pale, sweating. The Bigger Man wipes the Smaller Man's brow and speaks softly and seriously. BIGGER MAN Are you ready for this? The Smaller Man nods. INT. ROADHOUSE -- MORNING A full on shit-kicking dive. Nearly empty, given the hour. A TELEVISION plays the morning news over the bar. Only two inhabitants -- one a BARTENDER, the other the lone CUSTOMER, smoking and picking at a plate of criminally runny eggs. HARDY Tell the truth, Vic. You made these with a blender, right? He grins and we get our first good look at TOM HARDY -- three day stubble, dark rings around his eyes, but a with strong jaw and steady voice. Not your average barfly. Somebody who maybe used to be somebody. BARTENDER Don't like 'em, don't eat 'em, don't make no damn difference to me. HARDY You know that was like a quadruple negative? The Bartender takes the plate away from him. HARDY Can I at least have a drink? BARTENDER It's ten thirty in the morning. HARDY Yeah, if you've slept. BARTENDER You know the law -- no liquor before noon. Could lose my license. HARDY Don't you mean "don't need no liquor license not taken away from me"? The Bartender smiles. BARTENDER Hurricane kept you up, too? HARDY Yeah, and I could've used the sleep. I'm supposed to meet people here tonight, try and get some work going. He stops, his attention suddenly on the TV. A NEWSCASTER: NEWSCASTER ...is expected to announce the grand jury indictments in the Guissepe Torres police corruption case as early as tomorrow afternoon. Speculations abound that up to ten former homicide detectives could be named in the proceedings -- The Bartender turns the TV off hastily. Embarrassed: BARTENDER Sorry. Hardy just looks away. The Bartender puts an empty glass down and fills it to the lip with bourbon. Hardy nods a "thank you" and reaches for the glass when the PAGER on his hip goes off. He checks the number. HARDY Bill Styles... BARTENDER Who? HARDY Old friend. Haven't talked to him in -- 911. Can I use your phone? The Bartender hands him a cordless and Hardy dials. HARDY Hey, Bill, it's Tom. Long time no... whoa, whoa, slow down. Yeah... yeah, of course I'll come. An hour. He hangs up and hands the phone back to the Bartender. BARTENDER What was that? Hardy, obviously shaken by the call. HARDY I gotta go out to McKinley. EXT. FORT MCKINLEY -- MORNING Establishing. A sprawling five square mile compound nestled in the Louisiana backwoods. Also damaged by the Hurricane. HELICOPTERS loaded with emergency supplies land and take off, REPAIR CREWS work feverishly on damaged buildings, all while CADET PLATOONS complete morning drills around them. This is still a boot camp after all. SUPERIMPOSE: 1130 HOURS - FORT MCKINLEY BASIC TRAINING CENTER EXT. FORT MCKINLEY -- MAIN GATE -- MORNING Styles stands waiting nervously just beyond the CHECKPOINT with WARRANT OFFICER JULIA OSBORNE -- early 30's, attractive, close cropped hair and icy eyes. In the middle of protesting. OSBORNE This is totally unnecessary -- STYLES He asked to see a policeman, we're getting him a policeman. OSBORNE But this guy you called, he's not even Army -- STYLES He's former Army and the best I've ever seen in a room. Besides, he knows the territory, we did Basic together here. (off her look) You've had three hours with Dunbar and haven't gotten a peep, we need to take a different tack. OSBORNE He's not Army, it's not official -- STYLES Then it's unofficial. He takes a hit from an ASTHMA INHALER, as a '71 PONTIAC GTO drives through the gate and pulls up. Hardy emerges. OSBORNE (re: his appearance) Doesn't get any unofficialer than that... The two old friends embrace. HARDY How are you? STYLES Been better. (pause) I read about what's been happening with you... I should have called -- HARDY What kind of trouble are you in? Styles looks at the ground. Momentarily flustered. HARDY That bad? STYLES Would I have called you if it wasn't? If there was any other way -- HARDY Tell me what I can do. OSBORNE You can get us some answers. Hardy takes off his sunglasses, noticing her. STYLES This is Warrant Officer Julia Osborne, the closest thing we have to an in- house investigator. HARDY And here you are going out of house. How's that make you feel, Jules? OSBORNE Hostile and uncooperative. HARDY Fantastic. You want to tell me what's going on? INT. FORT MCKINLEY -- CORRIDORS MORNING Hardy follows Styles and Osborne. They pass SOLDIERS replacing broken windows and sweeping up glass. STYLES The official term for it is "Clusterfuck". By the time Beth hit us, I'd canceled all off base exercises save one -- a six man cadet team and their Drill out in the bush. We're missing three and the Sergeant. The cadets are in their eighth week of the cycle, nobody here knows much about them, up to and including their names. But the Sergeant... HARDY It's not West, is it? Tell me it's not West. Styles' look tells him it is. HARDY Ah, Christ OSBORNE You knew Sergeant West? HARDY He was our Drill here. Man's older than sand. STYLES A few years ago, the Army picked our good buddy as their go to non-com to trot out to the press to talk about the kinder, gentler military. He even did the standard video greeting played to all incoming Basic cadets across the country. HARDY Well, he's a good soldier. Osborne nods, agreeing. HARDY I didn't mean that as a compliment. OSBORNE Sergeant West's served for twenty- three years. He's the public face of the modern Army. HARDY And you notice I'm not in the Army anymore. They round a corner. STYLES The exercise was one of his Section Eight "private sessions". Left around 2100 yesterday and were scheduled for pick up at 0630 this morning. HARDY And the problem is you only got three. STYLES No, the problem is one's dead, one's got a bullet in his arm, and one won't talk. The one who won't talk was trading live fire with the dead one as we reached the pick-up. HARDY I'm assuming that's what made him the dead one? STYLES Cadet Roberto R. Nunez. Killed right in front of me. OSBORNE Search parties for the others are fanning out in a ten click radius from the pickup. If they're hurt and we can get to them in time... STYLES I called the JAG Corps, the two cadets we retrieved are to be flown to D.C. on a transport leaving here at 1700 -- HARDY Which gives us about five hours. Why'd you call me? STYLES The guy in interrogation said he'd only talk to a cop. HARDY And I'm the closest thing to it, right? Styles stops, turning to his friend. STYLES Tom, bottom line: I let those kids go out there. If JAG shows up and I don't have any answers for them, my career is finished -- HARDY I'm not gonna let that happen. Styles exhales, relieved. STYLES Thank you. Osborne will brief you on the cadets. And Tom? (half-smile) It really is good to see you. INT. FORT MCKINLEY -- OSBORNE'S OFFICE -- MORNING Osborne and Hardy enter, stepping over broken glass and hurricane debris. Hardy looks around. HARDY Gotta be honest, I love what you've done with the place -- OSBORNE You and the Colonel go back. HARDY He got me through Basic and a lot of other stuff. I owe him. OSBORNE You're the Tom Hardy I've been reading about in the papers, right? New Orleans PD fired you for taking bribes from Guissepe Torres. HARDY It was for suspicion of bribery, it's really all in the wording -- OSBORNE Wording and your friendship with the Colonel aside, I'm not comfortable having you involved in this. HARDY Subtlety really isn't one of you finer points, is it, Osborne? Osborne opens her mouth to reply but Hardy cuts her off. HARDY Three things. First -- You don't have a choice. Second -- I've never taken a bribe in my life. And Third -- I'm still a little drunk from last night, so if I skip over the witty banter and move forward to straight hitting on you, try not to take offense. Tell me about the two guys. OSBORNE Hurricane knocked out our Mainframe, so all we have are their dogtags. Cadets Raymond Dunbar and Levi Kendall -- HARDY Levi? Who names their kid Levi -- OSBORNE Senator Jonathan Kendall, of Ohio. HARDY Christ... Remind me to thank Bill for mentioning that on the phone -- OSBORNE Kendall Junior is still in surgery, so he won't be available to answer for his name or anything else for another hour -- the cadet we're talking to first is Dunbar. HARDY He's in interrogation? OSBORNE Yes. HARDY Move him. OSBORNE Why? HARDY Because interrogation rooms look suspiciously like interrogation rooms, which doesn't exactly put people at ease. Is he cute? OSBORNE Excuse me? HARDY Is Dunbar cute? OSBORNE (pissed) That is the most unprofessional -- HARDY Is he handsome, self assured, carry himself well, does he look you in the eyes or down at the floor, does he have good bones, suggesting good breeding, does he slouch or sit up straight -- these are important questions, as they reveal a great deal about this man's character so please get over yourself for two and a half seconds and tell me is he cute? Osborne stares at him. She finally nods. HARDY Thank you. At some point in there I'm gonna rub my nose. When I do, go at him with everything you got. OSBORNE Good cop/bad cop? HARDY Something like that. She starts to go make preparations. HARDY Oh, and Osborne? You have any donuts around here? INT. FORT MCKINLEY -- CORRIDOR -- MORNING As two M.P.'s escort RAYMOND DUNBAR (the "Bigger Man") into INT. COFFEE ROOM -- MORNING A small cluttered room with the shades drawn. A folding table has been set up in the middle of it with a chair on each side. Dunbar takes a seat in the far chair. Takes in his surroundings as the MP's leave, locking the door. INT. FORT MCKINLEY -- CORRIDOR - MORNING Hardy and Osborne head towards the Coffee Room. OSBORNE I questioned him for three hours and he didn't make a sound. You don't have a badge, he won't talk to you. HARDY Ten bucks says I have him talking in under three minutes. Osborne starts the timer on her digital watch. OSBORNE Go. INT. COFFEE ROOM -- MORNING Dunbar looks up as they enter. Hardy smiles, cheerily. HARDY Cadet Dunbar, good morning! I'm Tom Hardy and I believe you've already met Officer Osborne. I understand you had a rough time of it last night? No response. Hardy takes a seat across from the cadet. HARDY Not talking, huh? You probably just want to get some food and some sleep. They feed you yet? No response. Hardy reaches into his pocket. Pulls out a DONUT. Dunbar eyes it, wary but definitely wanting it. HARDY Go on. You can eat in front of someone and still not talk to them -- my parents did it for years. Dunbar grabs the donut, wolfing it down. HARDY Want another one? No response. Osborne looks to her watch -- it's been a minute. HARDY Maybe later. Ray, let me say this up front -- I'm not a cop. Dunbar turns away, no longer interested. Hardy continues: HARDY I used to be, but that's beside the point. Who I am doesn't really matter; what matters is that right now, you're in a shitload of trouble. You understand that, right? No response. HARDY Now, I don't know if you did what you did in self defense and frankly I don't really care. I'm just doing a favor for Colonel Styles because he wants to know if anyone else who's still out there is in need of assistance. To be honest with you, though, I don't care about that either. Dunbar looks up at this, surprised. HARDY I don't know those guys, you do. They die, to me, it's like seeing a couple people died in a fire on the news -- tragic, but it doesn't affect me. The only thing I care about is I agreed to do a favor for a friend and try and talk to you till your transpo shows up. You like baseball? No response. Osborne looks at her watch -- two minutes. HARDY I could talk baseball for days. Batting averages, ERA's, I got statistics in my brain, I don't know how I remember them. It's freaky. You wanna talk baseball? Dunbar, completely confused. HARDY Come on Ray, we're gonna be here five hours, we gotta talk about something. So who do you like? Long silence and then: DUNBAR I don't like baseball. Hardy grins as Osborne stops her watch at 2:41. HARDY Why not? DUNBAR I asked for a policeman. HARDY You're under military arrest, it's not gonna happen. What's wrong with baseball? DUNBAR It's... too slow. HARDY Well, it's a game of anticipation, that's the beauty. DUNBAR I just don't like it. HARDY What do you like then? As they continue, we TRACK under the table to reveal a HIDDEN MICROPHONE... INT. STYLES' OFFICE -- MORNING Styles and an M.P. listening to the Coffee Room conversation. DUNBAR'S VOICE, over the speaker: DUNBAR (O.S.) I don't know... I like the Army. HARDY (O.S.) C'mon, Ray, everyone hates the Army during Basic. I'll tell you straight, I hated it here. INT. COFFEE ROOM -- MORNING DUNBAR You did Basic here? HARDY Fifteen years ago under Sergeant West. Piece of work, that guy. I remember, he used to have these two silver .45's with ivory handles and if you weren't quick enough, he'd knock you on the head with one of them. He still carry those guns? He Dunbar nods. HARDY I was also his "knife dummy". (to Osborne) See, West used to say he could slit a man from stem to sternum in three seconds. He'd use this length of pipe to demonstrate and if you were the knife dummy, you'd spend all day getting a pipe rammed into your balls if you weren't fast enough to defend yourself. That was a loooong day. Hardy laughs at the memory and turns back to Dunbar. HARDY Incidentally, Ray, I promised them I'd ask where West and the others are. Can we get to them? He looks to the floor. DUNBAR There's no need... HARDY They're dead, aren't they? Dunbar looks back up at Hardy. DUNBAR Yeah. INT. STYLES' OFFICE -- MORNING Styles lowers his head at this. INT. COFFEE ROOM -- MORNING HARDY You kill them? No answer. Hardy rubs his nose. Osborne steps forward. OSBORNE The Colonel saw you shoot Nunez, you're a murderer -- HARDY See, Ray, this is what we call "good cop, bad cop". She shouts, I stand up for you, you're grateful, a bond of trust is established. Osborne, stunned by this. HARDY But I don't want to play games. That's why you're not in an interrogation room, with one of those two way mirrors -- everyone knows those things are two way, right? Dunbar looks at him good nods slowly. HARDY Right. Now, I'm gonna go get you another donut and you think about whether you want to talk more, okay? DUNBAR Okay. Hardy smiles at him, gets up, and leaves. INT. FORT MCKINLEY -- CORRIDOR -- MORNING Osborne follows him out into the hall where Styles waits. OSBORNE Baseball? HARDY I believe somebody owes me ten dollars -- OSBORNE You made me look like an idiot -- HARDY Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know the object of the interrogation is to make you look good -- Everyone knows good cop, bad cop -- by admitting it I appeared trustworthy. STYLES You think he did it? OSBORNE No -- HARDY Yes -- They stop, looking at each other. STYLES You've got four hours and forty-five minutes to find out. INT. COFFEE ROOM -- MORNING Hardy returns, another donut in hand, Osborne behind him. HARDY Why'd you ask for a cop, Ray? DUNBAR I'm not telling you what happened. HARDY Okay... but I would like to know about the other cadets. What they were like -- nice guys? Dunbar takes a deep breath. DUNBAR Some. HARDY Tell me about them. As Dunbar begins to talk, we FLASHBACK... EXT. FORT MCKINLEY -- PARADE GROUNDS -- EIGHT WEEKS AGO Row upon row of freshly shaven headed CADETS stand at attention. Their first day of boot camp. DUNBAR (V.O.) First day was when I met Pike. Sarge hated him from the beginning. A man with a face of granite strides up and down the lines. Two ivory handled pistols on his hips. His lifeless cobalt blue eyes take in the Cadets. This is SERGEANT WEST. WEST You motherfuckers have just made the worst mistake of your lives! You have chosen to join my Army! This Army is my mother, my father, and my little virgin sister and I will not allow anyone or anything that is not up to my standards near her pretty little virgin cooze, do you understand me -- give me a sir, yes, sir! THE CADETS Sir, yes, sir! WEST Those who I deem unworthy to pass through this camp will quit, and those who refuse to quit I will kill. You ever hear of a training accident -- give me a sir, yes, sir! THE CADETS Sir, yes, sir! WEST In my time I have killed sixteen men for the good of my country, sixteen men whose entrance into this Army I could not condone, as it would weaken the fabric of this nation's defense! This base suffers an average of three training accidents a year, unfortunate incidents that I will not hesitate to repeat if you cross me, understand -- give me a sir, yes, sir! THE CADETS Sir, yes, sir! WEST So forget what you've seen on Sixty fucking Minutes about the kinder, gentler military -- you will either succeed, quit, or die by my hand! He walks over to a tall black cadet in the front row. PIKE. WEST My power here is absolute, isn't that right, nigger? PIKE Sir, yes, sir! West hauls off and SLAPS Pike across the face! WEST I hail from Biloxi, Mississippi where we string greasy coon necks up from tree branches when the mood strikes us you have a problem with that? PIKE Sir, no, sir! West grabs Pike by the neck, CHOKING HIM. The others Cadets GASP. Pike goes down on his knees, the loss of air is so great. He reaches up automatically to try and save himself... WEST What the fuck is this? You lay a hand on me while I'm trying to do my duty and rid the world of you? He KICKS PIKE IN THE BALLS and releases him. Pike goes fetal on the ground, VOMITING, as West stands over him, screaming. WEST Get the fuck up, you're still in formation, get the fuck up! Pike somehow gets to his feet, vomit streaking his clothes. WEST What the fuck have you done to that uniform, take it off, take it off, take it off! Pike, still gasping, can't move fast enough. West slaps him again and tears the man's shirt off. WEST Get those fucking pants off, I want you buck ass naked, you don't deserve to wear these beautiful United States Army issue clothes! Pike struggles off the rest of his clothes until he is NAKED. West turns and spies Dunbar in the line. WEST Cadet, what's your name! DUNBAR Sir, Dunbar, sir! WEST You know how to work a pistol, Dunbar? DUNBAR Sir, yes, sir! West draws one of his PISTOLS and gives it to him. WEST Dunbar you are to stand here and guard this nigger for the next twenty- four hours! He is not to be given food, water, or clothes! If he so much as moves, you are to blow his nigger brains out, is that clear? DUNBAR Sir, yes, sir! WEST The rest of you, fallout for physicals! The rest of the Cadets fallout, following West away to one of the buildings, leaving Dunbar and Pike. One with a gun, the other naked. DUNBAR (V.O.) Fifteen guys quit that day. But not Pike. EXT. OBSTACLE COURSE -- EIGHT WEEKS AGO -- MORNING The CADETS, navigating a log spanned over a PIT OF MUD. DUNBAR (V.O.) Time went on and the Sarge started singling people out. One of the Cadets, a small man named ANDERSON, falls from the log. Screaming, West dives into the pit and pulls Anderson out, knocking him on the head with a pistol. EXT. TARMAC -- EIGHT WEEKS AGO -- AFTERNOON Anderson stands naked, his arms straining to hold up, TWO PAINT CANS perpendicular to his body as West berates him. DUNBAR He'd zero in on a fella and ride him till he quit. EXT. MAIN GATE -- EIGHT WEEKS AGO -- NIGHT Anderson, now in civilian clothes, gets into a TAXI. Quit. EXT. FIRING RANGE -- EIGHT WEEKS AGO -- MORNING West, screaming at a weasely looking cadet named CHILDS. DUNBAR (V.O.) Those who wouldn't quit, he'd put in what he called Section Eight. INT. SECTION EIGHT BARRACKS -- EIGHT WEEKS AGO -- NIGHT A horribly dilapidated quarters. Four cadets, Dunbar, Pike, Childs, and MUELLER sleep in rickety bunks. DUNBAR (V.O.) Washout rejects, guys he said were, "dumbfucks too stupid to know they were dead". He separated us from the rest. We slept alone... INT. MESS HALL -- EIGHT WEEKS AGO -- MORNING The same four Cadets, eating ON THE FLOOR as the other members of the Cadet Corps chow at tables. DUNBAR (V.O.) ...ate alone... EXT. REGULAR BARRACKS -- EIGHT WEEKS AGO -- EVENING The four Cadets fallout on a run shirtless, with heavy packs and rifles held over their heads as the rest of the Cadet Corps files into their barracks for sleep. DUNBAR (V.O.) ...and trained long after the other guys got to turn in. EXT. PARADE GROUNDS -- EIGHT WEEKS AGO -- MORNING The Cadet Corps, mustered. West zeroes in on NUNEZ (the "dead one"), whose t-shirt has a spot on it. DUNBAR (V.O.) Fellas lived in daily fear of being Sectioned and with good reason, too. West pulls Nunez out of line by his ear and kicks him over towards a separate muster of our Four Section Eighters. DUNBAR They figured we were the boys who'd meet with a "training accident". Nunez takes a place among them. Looking absolutely terrified. INT. COFFEE ROOM -- PRESENT DAY Osborne leans forward. OSBORNE Are you saying Sergeant West tried to kill you? DUNBAR No, ma'am, he just wanted us to quit. Making it through was kind of an honor. Some of the other guys on the base told us that if you could hack Section Eight, Command would consider you at the top of the class. HARDY That's not exactly true... (off their looks) I'm living proof. How did you get Sectioned, Ray? Dunbar gives a look that almost resembles a smile. DUNBAR That first night with Pike. I made the mistake of letting him sit down at around 0300. OSBORNE Tell us about the other guys, the ones West weeded out. DUNBAR There were six of us... EXT. OBSTACLE COURSE -- ONE WEEK AGO -- EVENING The six members of Section Eight on a forced run through the rain. We focus in each face as Dunbar describes them. First up is MUELLER a tall Aryan looking blonde with a square jaw. DUNBAR (V.O.) Mueller was from Tulsa, a real good ol' boy type. One of those "his Daddy's Daddy's Daddy died at Bull Run and no bleeding heart Yankee was gonna take away his scatter gun". He idolized West. Muller, grinning, as West kicks his ass to pick up the pace. Next to him is NUNEZ, a strapping hulk of a manchild. DUNBAR (V.O.) And Nunez idolized Mueller. Big fella from New Mexico. After he got Sectioned he just followed Mueller around like a lap dog. He wasn't mean like Mueller, though, didn't have it in him. Next to Nunez is CHILDS, small and weasely with feral eyes. DUNBAR (V.O.) But Childs did. Didn't talk to anyone, but you got this feeling something was wrong with him, like real wrong. Type of guy you felt uncomfortable going to sleep near. Behind Childs runs Pike. DUNBAR (V.O.) Pike I told you about. He took the brunt of it from Mueller and West. Once they found it out he was a convict they were merciless. He'd been busted for Auto Theft, judge gave him the option of jail or the Army. He made the wrong choice. Next to Pike, Dunbar and KENDALL run side by side. Kendall is short like Childs, but also weak. Wheezing. DUNBAR Finally Kendall and me. Kendall was a smart guy, we got along okay. Pike and I tried to help him, but... Kendall falters and Pike stops to try and help him up. West smacks the him away, practically kicking Kendall to his feet. DUNBAR (V.O.) He was sickly. Had that shaking thing, whatd'yacall it, epoxy? OSBORNE (V.O.) Epilepsy. DUNBAR (V.O.) Yeah. Spent half his time in the infirmary. Only reason he enlisted was his father. West didn't section him till last week. INT. COFFEE ROOM -- PRESENT DAY HARDY And those were the guys who went on the exercise with you? DUNBAR Yeah. And that's all I'm saying. Hardy leans back in his chair. HARDY You smoke, Ray? DUNBAR This is one of those interrogation tricks, isn't it? You don't give me a cigarette till I tell you more. HARDY No, actually, I just left mine in the car and was hoping you had some. Dunbar studies him for a moment and then pulls a pack of Dorals from his pocket and puts them on the table. HARDY My brand. Must be my lucky day. He takes one and lights it. Dunbar does the same. HARDY Let me ask you one thing. You seem like a good guy, Ray. You carried Kendall wounded to the pickup. So what I don't get is what you did to make Nunez want to kill you? Dunbar just looks at the ground. A KNOCK at the door. Hardy and Osborne turn to see an M.P. stick his head in. M.P. Sirs? INT. FORT MCKINLEY -- CORRIDORS -- MORNING Hardy and Osborne emerge to find Styles waiting for them. HARDY He's not done by a longshot, I can get more out of him -- STYLES He can wait. Kendall's out of surgery. EXT. ARMY JEEP (MOVING) -- MORNING Hardy and Osborne sit in the back of the open car as it rumbles across the grounds, headed towards the Base Hospital. They sit in silence until: HARDY Why'd you join the army? Osborne looks at him, annoyed. OSBORNE You really want to make banal chit- chat like that now? HARDY You're right. We should sit in silence. OSBORNE We're in the middle of a murder case -- HARDY Best time for banal chit-chat. He slips something into his pocket. OSBORNE What is that? HARDY Microrecorder for Kendall -- didn't have time to wire his room. Now tell me why you joined the army or I'll jab this pen through your neck. Osborne smiles in spite of, herself. OSBORNE Typical army brat story. Dad was noncom, Mom was a Nurse. There was never any real doubt of joining up. HARDY You had a mobile of bayonets above your crib. OSBORNE Something like that. You? HARDY I lost a bet. Osborne laughs. OSBORNE You're kidding. HARDY Yeah. That's just the story I tell the girls to get them into bed. Truth is... I don't know. The whole honor and duty thing. Make a difference in the world, crap like that. Didn't really work out. Osborne studies him. OSBORNE I bet that's the second story you tell the girls to get them into bed, after you make them laugh with the first one. Hardy just smiles. OSBORNE This is the straight hitting on me you were talking about, isn't it? HARDY The very same. OSBORNE You do understand that there's absolutely no way I could ever be attracted to you, right? HARDY I plan to grow on you. OSBORNE You're off to a late start. HARDY So noted. They pass an OVERTURNED CLIMBING TOWER. HARDY You guys really got the shit kicked out of you here. OSBORNE Imagine what it must have been like for them out there. What do you think of Dunbar? HARDY He's telling the truth, up to a point. OSBORNE What point? Hardy doesn't respond, instead looking out as they pass the SECTION EIGHT BARRACKS. OSBORNE Something wrong? HARDY Being back here. Gives me the willies. OSBORNE Not the happiest of memories? FLASHCUT TO -- FIFTEEN YEARS AGO. A bunch of young Cadets, Hardy and Styles among them, doing forced push-ups by the barracks in the rain as West randomly berates and KICKS THEM. BACK TO HARDY -- As he looks away and shakes it off. HARDY No. INT. BASE HOSPITAL -- RECOVERY UNIT -- DAY A NURSE leads Hardy and Osborne down a spotless white hall. NURSE Normally we wouldn't let anyone see him this soon, but Colonel Styles said it was urgent -- HARDY It is. OSBORNE Remember, he's the son of a Senator, so go easy. Kid gloves. HARDY Got it. INT. BASE HOSPITAL -- KENDALL'S ROOM -- DAY Kendall lies in a bed, a network of tubes in his arm. He is awake but pale, still weak. He studies his visitors. KENDALL You... I've seen you around the Base. But you... (pointing to Hardy) You're not Army, are you? HARDY Coast Guard, special detective detail. We feel this incident may have put the beaches of Florida at risk. Kendall's laugh turns into a cough. Placing Hardy. KENDALL That's it. You're that policeman with friends in low places. Tell me, how's Guissepe Torres doing these days? Those racketeering indictments must have really been a downer -- HARDY Levi, you got about four hours before armed men show up here, put you on a plane to Washington, and lock you in a very small dark room. I suggest you talk to us. Kendall smiles again, not losing any of his cool. KENDALL I've done nothing wrong. (gestures to his wound) I'm the victim here. HARDY But not the only victim, right? KENDALL My, my, my, how did things turn so hostile so quickly? If I didn't know better, I'd say you two were out to get me. OSBORNE We just want -- KENDALL What, "The Truth"? Please. There are degrees of truth, officer, always degrees. Things are not what they seem. Hardy stares at him for a moment and then gets up to leave. HARDY It's too early in the day for me to give a shit about some pissant cadet's bad version of "intrigue". You want to talk to us, send word over to the brig. Let's go. Nonplussed, Osborne follows. Hardy turns back at the door. HARDY You're working too hard, Levi. I can tell cause you're sweating. And you're sweating cause you have no idea what Dunbar's already told us. INT. BASE HOSPITAL -- CORRIDORS -- DAY Hardy and Osborne walk to the NURSE'S STATION. OSBORNE That was kid gloves? HARDY Have no fear, Osborne, we have not yet begun to fight. He pulls a cigarette from his pocket and lights it. OSBORNE But we have to question him -- (noticing) Thought you didn't have cigarettes -- HARDY I lied. Wait for it... Osborne just stares at him, not knowing what to say next. The PHONE at the Nurse's Station rings and a NURSE answers. Listens for a moment, hangs up, and turns to them. NURSE Cadet Kendall -- HARDY We're on our way. INT. KENDALL'S HOSPITAL ROOM -- DAY Hardy and Osborne sit across from Kendall's bed. HARDY Sergeant West is dead isn't he? Kendall nods. HARDY And the other three Cadets? Kendall hesitates, then nods again. HARDY Feel free to elaborate. Kendall takes a breath and begins, all trace of bravado gone. KENDALL My father is a powerful man. Over the years he's used that power to protect me, in one form or another, from certain... unpleasantries. (deep breath) I am a homosexual. HARDY Senator Daddy must be thrilled. KENDALL He is not, shall we say, wild about the idea. He has asked me on numerous occasions to be more discreet about my proclivities, and I have done my best to oblige him. However, in the last four weeks, I began a relationship with another cadet. What do you think of that? HARDY I think you just blew "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" out of the fucking water. KENDALL The Sergeant discovered this relationship and wanted me expelled. My father interceded, so instead, West Sectioned me and made sure every other cadet knew that I was gay. OSBORNE He couldn't kick you out so he wanted you to quit on your own. KENDALL He wanted more than that. HARDY More intrigue, Levi? Kendall stares at them, dead serious. KENDALL Yes. INT. SECTION EIGHT BARRACKS -- LAST NIGHT The six Cadets asleep, all except Kendall, who stares up at the patchwork ceiling. KENDALL (V.O.) It was the regular Tuesday night drill. He'd let us sleep for an hour and then wake us up, drag us out to the bayou, and work us all night, separate from the others. The door SLAMS OPEN, revealing West. WEST Get up, get up, get up! We're going on a little night hike, boys -- muster in five on the south tarmac! He leaves as the Sectioners rise, groaning. PIKE Hurricane's due after midnight and we're still going out? MUELLER Toughens us up, Pike. You don't like it, quit. Pike pulls on his pants and shoots him the finger. KENDALL Maybe we shouldn't go. MUELLER The faggot speaks. KENDALL You ever been in a hurricane, Mueller? MUELLER (mocking gay lisp) You ever been in a hurricane, Mueller? Mueller and Childs laugh, but Nunez looks concerned. NUNEZ You really heard this? PIKE You know Popham, works in the kitchen? He told me it was on the radio. He stops, listening. They all hear the WIND, HOWLING outside. KENDALL We should tell him we're not going. MUELLER Oh, yeah, "Excuse me, Sergeant, sir, we don't feel like going out -- we don't want to get rained on." He'll kick our asses from here to Cleveland. He pulls on his rain poncho and is out the door, Nunez right behind him. The others, getting ready, all except Kendall. Dunbar comes over and puts a hand on his shoulder. DUNBAR He's right. We don't have a choice. EXT. FORT MCKINLEY -- TARMAC -- LAST NIGHT The six cadets, mustered in front of West and a TRANSPORT CHOPPER. West hands out M-16's, sidearms, and grenades while yelling above the wind. WEST A rifle, a pistol, and three phosphorous grenades to a man! This is live fire, so keep those safetied until we touch down; I don't want anyone shooting their dick off! Some chuckling. WEST Some of you may have heard there's a hurricane coming! American soldiers do not wait for good weather -- they do not wait for a bright sunshiney day to do their duty! An American Soldier learns to operate in the worst conditions and turn said conditions into an advantage against their enemy! Anyone who thinks these conditions are too harsh, feel free to lay down and die, you get me? THE CADETS Sir, yes, sir! WEST LZ is two clicks North of a cabin, you are to split into teams of two and work your way through your designated area blasting as many targets as you can find! Each area has twenty targets, first team to take all twenty and find the cabin wins! Teams are as follows -- Dunbar and Nunez, Pike and Mueller, Kendall and Childs! Mueller groans. WEST I will be in the areas monitoring your progress and if I see anyone drag ass I will personally slit you stem to sternum and leave you for dead! Fall out! The Cadets board the Transport Chopper. Kendall gets on last, passing West who leans in and whispers to him: WEST You're gonna die tonight, faggot. INT. KENDALL'S HOSPITAL ROOM -- PRESENT DAY Osborne looks up. OSBORNE He said what? KENDALL "You're gonna die tonight, faggot". Clear as day. OSBORNE No one else heard it? KENDALL He whispered it in my ear. Hardy scratches his temple. HARDY Levi, I don't know if you're familiar with investigative work, but we have this little thing called "motive" and you just gave yourself one. KENDALL You said you wanted to know what happened -- I'm telling you the truth. HARDY What happened to "degrees"? KENDALL I didn't kill him -- HARDY Then who did? INT. ARMY TRANSPORT HELICOPTER (FLYING) -- LAST NIGHT On Kendall, sitting among the Sectioners in silence. Terrified, he looks like he's about to throw up. KENDALL (V.O.) I wanted to tell someone what he'd said, but I couldn't. Mueller would just laugh. Nunez and Childs wouldn't care. Pike and Dunbar were okay, but... When West outed me, he isolated me. An outcast among outcasts. And I'd just been told tonight was the night I'd die. The Chopper touches down on the edge of the BAYOU. The door rumbles open as West points out different team directions in the blackness. WEST First team, second team, third team, go, go, go! The click of rifles being unsafetied as the cadets pour out of the helicopter. EXT. LOUISIANA BAYOU -- LAST NIGHT We track with Kendall and Childs as they head away from the Landing Zone, rifles up, heads down, side by side. Moving the brush quickly and quietly, eyes scanning for targets. KENDALL (V.O.) I knew Childs a little, we worked at the PX together. The wind is picking up and it's started to RAIN. Their ponchos flap loudly against the elements. KENDALL (V.O.) I started getting it in my head that maybe West had paid him, maybe he was the one who was supposed to give me a training accident -- The ROAR of GUNFIRE! Kendall turns towards it, SCREAMING for a moment... Until he sees Childs lower his smoking rifle, a SHREDDED TARGET on a tree in front of them. He looks down, noticing has his own weapon TRAINED ON CHILDS... Childs steps forward, knocking Kendall's rifle away. CHILDS Don't you ever point a gun at me! KENDALL I'm -- I'm sorry... Kendall, terrified. Shaking. A beat. Childs picks up the rifle from the ground and hands it back to him. CHILDS Come on, let's move. VARIOUS SHOTS -- Kendall and Childs, moving through the bayou, Childs taking out targets. It's raining harder now. KENDALL (V.O.) All I could think of was West, out there somewhere in the dark. Maybe watching the others, maybe watching me. And waiting to make his move. Childs speaks, and Kendall almost jumps out of his skin. CHILDS Christ, am I alone in this world? Shoot something -- A SOUND from the left. Kendall panics, pivots, and FIRES... Into DARKNESS. No target, no West, no nothing. Kendall, really freaked out now. CHILDS A target, Kendall, cap a fucking target. What's wrong with you? KENDALL (V.O.) I thought I was gonna have an attack. Go into a fit and bite off my own tongue in the middle of the bayou. Childs could tell I wasn't right. CHILDS Just safety your shit and get behind me, okay? I'll take care of this. Kendall nods and lets Childs walk ahead. Staring at Childs' back as they move on. On Kendall's face, thinking... KENDALL (V.O.) Maybe it was a trick. Maybe this was when they'd get me, when I felt safest. CLOSE ON KENDALL'S FINGER -- Clicking off the safety again. Moving towards the trigger... KENDALL (V.O.) But if I struck first and took out Childs, then maybe I could make it out alive... Kendall raises the rifle. Sights Childs' back. A moment of utter silence and then... INT. KENDALL'S HOSPITAL ROOM -- PRESENT DAY KENDALL Maybe I shouldn't tell you that. Maybe I should tell you I wasn't scared at all. But I was... (long pause) Enough to almost kill him. HARDY But you didn't. KENDALL No. Poetic justice, though. OSBORNE Why? No reply. Hardy smiles, understanding. HARDY Because Childs is the one who shot you. Osborne looks up, surprised. Kendall nods. KENDALL But that came later. EXT. LOUISIANA BAYOU -- LAST NIGHT As Kendall safeties his rifle and lowers it... The SOUND of a tremendous EXPLOSION comes from their right! Kendall and Childs knocked off their feet as the sky momentarily LIGHTS UP with the blast as a MAN SCREAMS! CHILDS Over there! Childs points to the right, where the dim shine of PHOSPHOROUS can be seen through the trees. He drags Kendall to his feet and the two take off running towards it. Kendall panting and scared, ducking branches and leaping ditches as the two sprint towards the dying glow. CHILDS Hello! HEL -- The sound of GUNFIRE! Childs TACKLES Kendall... CHILDS GET DOWN! They hit the deck, face down in mud. It takes them a second to realize the shots are not directed at them. CHILDS Fuck, what the fuck is going on -- KENDALL What do we do? CHILDS Whoever it is isn't shooting at us... He trails off. The gunfire and screaming have stopped. Silence now, save for the wind and rain. KENDALL I don't want to go -- CHILDS Fine. Childs rises and heads towards where the sounds were. Kendall, lying in the rain and mud, shivering. Alone. After a moment he gets up and follows. EXT. LOUISIANA BAYOU -- CREEK BED -- LAST NIGHT The SCORCHED GROUND and TREES smolder under the rainfall. Kendall finds Childs, standing down by the creek. Something lies by his feet. KENDALL What's -- He stops, seeing. KENDALL Oh, Jesus... WEST. Literally spread out on the ground, dead. Eyes open, face half blackened, he has been ripped in two at the torso. A horrifying sight. Kendall stumbles back from it. KENDALL Did -- did you -- CHILDS It was the grenade you fucking idiot. Look at him! Kendall can't. He sits, sobbing. Part horror, part relief. CHILDS This isn't our area. Whose area is this -- MUELLER Can anybody hear me! Childs pivots at the sound of Mueller coming over the ridge. MUELLER Hey, I -- (seeing it) Holy fuck... holy fuck, what the fuck did you guys do? CHILDS We found him like this -- Mueller raises his rifle at the weeping Kendall. MUELLER You killed him you fucking faggot -- CHILDS We found him like this! Kendall was with me the whole -- Listen to me! Mueller, finally seeming to understand. Lowering the gun. MUELLER Jesus, Jesus fucking Christ... Muttering to himself, walking in circles. CHILDS Where's Pike? No response. CHILDS Mueller, where's Pike? Mueller looks up. MUELLER We got -- I don't know, we got separated CHILDS Before or after the explosion? (no response) Mueller -- MUELLER I don't know! KENDALL How can you not know -- Mueller comes at him, screaming: MUELLER Shut the fuck up, you fucking faggot, You just shut the FUCK UP. CHILDS HEY! Mueller stops, eyes crazed. Childs looks to the sky, which is becoming worse by the second. CHILDS We have to get out of this. To find the cabin. He helps Kendall to his feet. KENDALL What about Pike? CHILDS Maybe he'll be there. Either way, we have to go. Kendall nods, slowly. The two start up the hill. MUELLER Shouldn't we -- I mean, we shouldn't just leave him here. He points down to West's body. Childs looks at it. CHILDS You can carry him if you want. He and Kendall continue on. Mueller lingers a moment longer and then turns, following them up the hill. EXT. LOUISIANA BAYOU -- LAST NIGHT Kendall, Childs, and Mueller make their way through the bush. The WIND and RAIN have conspired into a FULL BLOWN HURRICANE. The three men are practically stumbling now, leaning in against it to stay on their feet. Kendall spies something through the maelstrom. It looks like WET WOOD. He points: KENDALL There! THE CABIN -- Wooden, one story, and large, it resembles a solidly built shack. It is being thrashed by the storm. The trio stumble towards the front door... INT. CABIN -- LAST NIGHT Obviously abandoned. Bare of any furniture save for two wooden chairs next to an empty fireplace. DUNBAR and NUNEZ shout in surprise as the three men practically collapse into the cabin. Dunbar runs to bolt the door against the elements as Nunez helps them up. NUNEZ What happened to you -- MUELLER What happened to you? DUNBAR We finished the course and came here, then heard an explosion -- (to Mueller) Where's Pike? CHILDS We don't know. West is dead. Silence. Dunbar and Nunez stare at him. Mueller jerks a hand towards Kendall and Childs. MUELLER They found him. Poor fucker was practically blown in half -- KENDALL Poor fucker my ass... MUELLER You better watch it, faggot, I'm not sure you and Childs didn't do him -- CHILDS What about you, wandering around alone? At least we have an alibi -- DUNBAR What do you mean, alone? MUELLER Pike and I got separated -- KENDALL Yeah and he doesn't know when -- MUELLER I remember now, it was before the explosion -- KENDALL Oh, you remember now -- MUELLER I'm about two seconds away from seeing if fairies really can fly -- NUNEZ What about Pike? Mueller stops, as the others turn towards the big man. Silence. They realize what the question means. DUNBAR He wouldn't kill anybody... MUELLER Oh, bullshit, he's a fucking convict. You know how much he hated West -- DUNBAR I hated West, Childs hated West, everyone with a goddamn brain hated West but that doesn't mean we killed him! NUNEZ What if it wasn't one of us? What if it was a local -- KENDALL He was blown up by a phosphorous grenade, they don't exactly sell those at 7-11. MUELLER Look, here are the facts -- Roberto was with Dunbar, Queen Kendall was with Childs, and Pike's the only one not here. He did it! The others nod, becoming convinced. CHILDS He is the only one unaccounted for. KENDALL Maybe he's dead too. Maybe you killed them both, Mueller -- DUNBAR Shut up. (to Mueller) Let me see your grenades. MUELLER Why? DUNBAR We were each given three so whoever killed West will be missing one. Mueller angrily digs into his sack and pulls out his grenades. MUELLER See? Three. Now can we please -- He stops. Hearing a SOUND outside. Through the wind and rain, FOOTSTEPS on the porch. They all turn to the door. Waiting... The DOOR SWINGS OPEN.. Pike. Covered in BLOOD. PIKE Hey, guys. They stare at him as he calmly closes the door and walks over to the empty FIREPLACE. Finally: DUNBAR Whose blood is that, Jay? PIKE West's. Any kindling for afire? He looks around for kindling. A beat. DUNBAR What do you mean, West's? PIKE I mean I killed him. (pause) Isn't that what we all wanted? INT. KENDALL'S HOSPITAL ROOM -- PRESENT DAY HARDY He admitted it. KENDALL Right in front of us. Mueller went after him but we held him back. Pike surrendered and volunteered to be tied up. So we roped him to a chair and tried to ride out the storm. OSBORNE Why would he just surrender? Kendall turns to her and smiles. KENDALL Because he had a plan. INT. CABIN -- LIVING ROOM -- LAST NIGHT Pike, tied to a chair by the fireplace while the others look for, food in the KITCHEN. Alone, Kendall walks past Pike: PIKE Hey, Kendall, talk to you for a sec? Kendall looks around -- there seems no harm in it. PIKE You hated West as much as I did. I'm not saying what I did was right, but you can't tell me you're not glad the motherfucker's dead. Kendall says nothing. Pike looks around, makes sure no one is listening and then whispers: PIKE The thing is, we've got a real opportunity here. You turn me in tomorrow and we're both fucked -- KENDALL What are you talking about? PIKE A gay Senator's son who let his Sarge get fragged on a training exercise? The press'll crucify you and your father. His career will be over and it'll be your fault. But we do this different and you come out a hero. On Kendall, thinking about it. A beat. KENDALL How? PIKE Mueller. He's as bad as West and we both know it. Now I can't do it, cause I'm tied up, but we get the others to go along -- KENDALL I don't think I want to hear this -- PIKE Someone else can do the deed, it doesn't have to be you. Maybe Nunez too, he's got a tendency to follow Mueller, but the rest of us can come out ahead -- the guys who took out their Sergeant's killers! We'll move the bodies out to the creek and say we came over the hill right as they fragged West, all we gotta do is tell the story right. Kendall stares at him. Disgusted. KENDALL You're sick, Pike. He turns and walks away. Pike watches him go. KENDALL (V.O.) Later on I saw him talking to Dunbar. They had been close. I was in another room when it happened. INT. CABIN -- KITCHEN LAST NIGHT Kendall, looking through the empty cabinets for food when A GUNSHOT -- From the living room. As Kendall bolts towards the noise, the air is filled with the sounds of SCREAMING and SHOOTING! He pushes through the door... INT. CABIN -- LIVING ROOM -- LAST NIGHT Kendall, coming through the door as we SLO-MO... Mueller, sprawled out on the floor, dead... Pike, tied to the chair, bullet hole in his forehead... Nunez, wounded, stumbling out the front door into the hurricane... And a badly wounded Childs, pistol out, TURNING towards the SOUND OF THE DOOR and FIRING... Kendall's arm, HIT with a SLUG, and he starts to go down... FREEZE-FRAME -- On Kendall's form, falling. KENDALL (V.O.) I don't think he meant to do it. It was just reflex -- he'd already been gutshot. I must have passed out cause next thing I knew... EXT. LOUISIANA BAYOU -- DAWN The sounds of RUNNING and HEAVY BREATHING. Kendall's eyes flutter open. He's on Dunbar's back, being carried through the woods. The sound of GUNFIRE and a TREE BRANCH SHATTERS next to them. Someone is chasing them. Trying to kill them. Nunez. Dunbar bobs and weaves as another volley of bullets comes from behind and we can now hear ROTOR BLADES APPROACHING... EXT. CLEARING -- DAWN As Dunbar bursts into the sunlight, carrying Kendall. The entire thing dreamlike, what we saw at the opening, but from KENDALL'S VIEWPOINT -- the helicopter overhead, Nunez behind, Dunbar turning and shooting, NUNEZ GOING DOWN... INT. KENDALL'S HOSPITAL ROOM -- PRESENT DAY KENDALL And that's it. Hardy is silent. Staring at him. OSBORNE Nunez was chasing Dunbar. KENDALL Because he'd shot Mueller. OSBORNE But you didn't see it, right? KENDALL Like I said, I was in the kitchen. When I came out, Mueller and Pike were dead, Nunez and Childs were hit and Dunbar was gone. HARDY Why did he come back for you? KENDALL I honestly don't know. Maybe to have someone to cover for him. And I wish I could, but there's no doubt in my mind he killed those men. Silence. Kendall's got nothing more to say. HARDY Okay. I think that's it. He rises and walks to the door. KENDALL Mr. Hardy? Hardy turns back. KENDALL What did Dunbar tell you? Hardy smiles and pushes out the door... EXT. STYLES' OFFICE -- DAY Hardy and Osborne stand before the Colonel, filling him in. HARDY Pike killed West, Dunbar killed Mueller, Childs, and Nunez. STYLES Who killed Pike? HARDY Someone must have got a shot off. He wasn't exactly a moving target. Styles turns to Osborne. STYLES What do you think? OSBORNE It's too neat. HARDY "Too neat." How long have you been an investigator? OSBORNE I don't think that has anything to do with -- HARDY That means under a year. Let me explain what ten years of police work has taught me -- murder is basic. There are no conspiracies, no grand mysteries, and no evil puppet masters behind it all, pulling the strings; murder is shitty people doing a shitty thing to other shitty people -- it doesn't always make sense but it's always neat. Dunbar's our guy. Osborne struggles to put it into words. OSBORNE I just... He came back for Kendall. I don't think he's capable of murder. HARDY Everyone's capable of murder, Osborne. Osborne turns, making her case to Styles. OSBORNE Look, all we've got is what Kendall says, and he didn't actually witness any deaths except Nunez. He found West, he saw Mueller and Pike, but just their bodies -- he didn't see any crime committed. HARDY Well, I'm sure if he'd known this was all going to happen he'd have tried harder to witness it for you -- STYLES West's body isn't in the creek bed. They stop arguing, turning to look at him. STYLES We've already been over the terrain twice. Nothing. HARDY There was a hurricane, Bill, the wind probably moved it. STYLES Habeas Corpus -- you have to have a body to have a crime. HARDY Okay, then let's widen the search to include the endzone in Giants Stadium and the trunk of my car -- STYLES Without the body we have no physical proof. We need a confession. HARDY From Dunbar? I hate to break this to you, but I don't think he's gonna be all that psyched to put himself in for the death penalty. STYLES Nevertheless -- HARDY Nevertheless what'? Kendall will testify and that'll be enough. STYLES Not for me. Beat. Almost accusingly: HARDY You mean not enough to save you. STYLES JAG gets here in three hours. Try for the confession. INT. COFFEE ROOM -- DAY Dunbar looks up as Hardy and Osborne enter. HARDY (cheerfully) Hey, Ray! Just had a nice talk with your buddy Kendall -- seems you killed three people! DUNBAR That son of a bitch. HARDY That'd be my reaction too -- DUNBAR He's lying. HARDY Well, why didn't you say so? We'll just drop all your charges, then -- DUNBAR I'm serious -- Hardy leans across the table. HARDY Fuck "you're serious", Raymond, you got exactly zero truck with us; right now we'd take the word of a crackhead over yours, so if you've got something to say, say it. DUNBAR Did Kendall tell you about the PX? OSBORNE He said he worked there -- DUNBAR No, did he tell you about it? About the business Childs ran? OSBORNE What business? DUNBAR Pills, shots, you name it, Basic's a lot easier when you don't feel pain -- HARDY So Childs made some side money, so what? People are dead, Ray, and the only one we have to blame is you -- DUNBAR I didn't shoot West -- HARDY Yeah, we know, Pike did. Dunbar stares at him. DUNBAR You think you know everything, don't you? You haven't even scratched the surface. Hardy leans across the table, looks Dunbar dead in the eye. HARDY I know enough to know you got two choices -- you can sign a confession, in which case you'll probably spend the rest of your life in a military prison, or you can tell us to fuck off, in which case you'll probably get the gas chamber. (smiling) Am I scratching your surface yet? Dunbar stares at him for a moment and then LAUNCHES HIMSELF at Hardy, SCREAMING. Tackles him to the floor, CHOKING HIM... Osborne, pulling her sidearm, and PISTOL WHIPPING Dunbar in the head! Dunbar goes sprawling off Hardy as M.P.'s rush into the room, RESTRAINING him. Hardy gets up, gasping, and stumbles to the door. OSBORNE Hardy! But he's already gone. INT. FORT MCKINLEY -- CORRIDORS -- DAY Hardy, walking angrily towards the front entrance, wheezing and massaging his neck. Osborne, running to catch up. HARDY Why the fuck wasn't he in restraints? OSBORNE I don't know. Styles appears at the end of the hall. STYLES Tom, where are you going -- HARDY Home, I'm done. STYLES What about the confession? Hardy stares at him... HARDY You want a confession? Why don't you confess, Bill: people are dead and you don't give a shit about it! Only reason you called me is to protect your fucking job, you know this is your fault -- STYLES What the hell are you talking about -- HARDY I'm talking about West! We had him, Bill, we were there. You're the fucking Base Commander, you knew what he did to Cadets and you let him go on the way he always he has -- OSBORNE Styles couldn't reassign him, he's a legend -- HARDY You knew what he was capable of and you just stood by. It was just a matter of time till somebody fragged his ass, and you know what? He deserved it. There's your confession. He pushes past a shocked Styles and walks out the door. EXT. FORT MCKINLEY -- PARADE GROUNDS -- DAY Hardy storms across the grass. Osborne, still following. OSBORNE Goddammit, Hardy, you can't just leave -- HARDY Watch me. OSBORNE You said you owed Styles and now you're gonna turn your back on him? Hardy whirls on her. HARDY West was a monster! Fifteen years ago, I was here, I was Section Eight, I was Pike. Fuck being the knife dummy -- that thing he did, stripping Pike down, making him stand outside all night? He did that every year, he did that to me. Fifteen years ago, I wanted him dead, and now I'm supposed to care that somebody offed him? Sorry, no can do. I tried. OSBORNE You did more than try. You cracked Dunbar in less than three minutes, as an investigator you're phenomenal -- HARDY Phenomenal at taking bribes, right? A beat. Osborne shakes her head. OSBORNE I was starting to believe you, you know? That you weren't who everyone said. I guess I was wrong -- HARDY Oh, spare me the reverse psychology bullshit! This isn't my "great second chance", Osborne. Everyone thinks I'm a piece of shit cop who took money and nothing is going to change that. Nobody will ever know what happens here -- OSBORNE But you will. Hardy stares at her. HARDY Why do you care? OSBORNE Because it's my job. Because people are dead. Because of the whole honor and duty thing, make a difference in the world, crap like that. (pause) We can do this, Hardy. Hardy looks at the ground. OSBORNE Two and a half hours. That's all I'm asking. Two and a half hours to maybe get the truth. Silence. Hardy looks back up at her. Speaking softly: HARDY I didn't shoot West... OSBORNE What? HARDY Dunbar... He said he didn't shoot West. West wasn't shot, Kendall said he was blown apart by a phosphorous grenade and Dunbar never saw the body. They stare at each other for a moment... INT. COFFEE ROOM -- DAY Hardy and Osborne enter to find Dunbar in SHACKLES. DUNBAR I apologize -- HARDY You saw West's body. DUNBAR Of course -- OSBORNE Where? DUNBAR The creek bed -- HARDY And he'd been shot. DUNBAR Yeah -- OSBORNE What about the phosphorous grenade? DUNBAR One went off, yeah, but it didn't touch him -- I thought you knew this -- HARDY Tell it to me. INT. LOUISIANA BAYOU -- CREEK BED -- LAST NIGHT Dunbar and Nunez RUNNING towards the glow of phosphorous and sound of GUNFIRE. They come over the hill to see Childs and Kendall, standing over WEST'S BODY. Dunbar stops, shocked. DUNBAR Holy fuck... Holy fuck, what the fuck did you guys do? CHILDS We found him like this... Dunbar edges closer, looking at West. With BULLET HOLES. His chest, riddled. KENDALL Somebody emptied a full clip into him -- HARDY (V.O.) Stop. INT. COFFEE ROOM -- PRESENT DAY HARDY Kendall told us Mueller was the one who found them with West's body. DUNBAR He's lying, then. We didn't see Mueller till we got to the cabin. INT. CABIN -- LAST NIGHT Dunbar, Kendall, Childs, and Nunez push through the door to find Mueller in his undershirt, a FIRE burning in the hearth. MUELLER Jesus, what happened? DUNBAR (breathing hard) West... he's dead. OSBORNE (V.O.) Back up. INT. COFFEE ROOM -- PRESENT DAY OSBORNE Mueller was alone in the cabin? DUNBAR Yeah. INT. CABIN -- LAST NIGHT MUELLER Pike and I got separated... then I heard gunfire. Close. DUNBAR So did we. Why didn't you come? Mueller looks down, scared. MUELLER I was afraid... Mueller voice FADES OUT as he continues to talk. DUNBAR (V.O.) I didn't buy it. But Mueller had all three of his grenades. Mueller shows his three grenades to the others. INT. COFFEE ROOM -- PRESENT DAY OSBORNE At least you and Kendall agree on that. HARDY What happened next? Dunbar shudders. DUNBAR Pike came back. INT. CABIN -- LAST NIGHT Pike, staggering in through the door. The others get up from where they are sitting -- it's been awhile since they arrived. Pike shouts at Mueller: PIKE What the fuck happened to you -- MUELLER What the fuck happened to you? One minute you're next to me and the next you're gone and the sky lights up like fucking Christmas -- DUNBAR Where have you been, Jay? PIKE Wandering through a hurricane trying to find this place. It's gettin' bad out there -- (looking around) Where's West? CHILDS Yeah, right... DUNBAR Shut up. (to Pike) West's dead. A beat. PIKE What? Silence. All of them staring at Pike. DUNBAR Where have you been, Jay? Pike, suddenly understanding. Fear creeping into his face. PIKE Oh, no... no, fuck that -- He moves to the door, but... NUNEZ Hey! Nunez, with his PISTOL out. Trained on Pike. PIKE Roberto, what the fuck? DUNBAR We just want to check your pack -- PIKE Why? MUELLER Whoever shot the Sarge blew a grenade first -- PIKE Blame the nigger, then, huh? Someone turns up dead, you just look for the darkest face in the crowd -- DUNBAR You know it's not like that -- PIKE Do I? The CLICK as Nunez pulls back the pistol's hammer. NUNEZ Let him check your pack. Pike stares at them and then throws his pack down, angrily. Dunbar goes to it, opens it, and reaches in. Pulls his hand out. Only TWO GRENADES. Looks at Pike. Sadly. DUNBAR Tie him up. INT. CABIN -- LAST NIGHT Later. The fury of the storm has increased. Kendall, Childs, Nunez, and Mueller, in the KITCHEN looking for food. IN THE LIVING ROOM Pike, tied to the chair. Dunbar sitting in a corner, listening to the hurricane rage outside. Pike watches him. PIKE Just like the first day, huh? You standing guard on me. A CREAKING as the cabin SHIFTS on it's foundation. Dunbar looks up at the roof, scared. It holds. PIKE This place ain't gonna hold much longer. Dunbar doesn't reply. Still staring nervously at the roof. Pike looks to make sure the others out of earshot, then: PIKE You and me are friends, right? No reply. PIKE Right? DUNBAR Yeah... Pike takes a deep breath. PIKE You gotta untie me. (off Dunbar's look) I didn't do this thing, Ray. DUNBAR You hated West more than any of us. PIKE Maybe, but that don't make me a killer -- DUNBAR You're the only one missing a grenade. PIKE Which anyone coulda taken out of my gear on the chopper. Were you watching your pack on the ride in? Dunbar starts to get up. PIKE Ray, this is my life here. I ain't gonna pretend I'm not happy West is gone, but you know I couldn't have done this. It's not in me. DUNBAR If not you, then who? PIKE Mueller. DUNBAR Oh, come on -- PIKE We're sweeping our area and suddenly he's gone. Couple minutes later, phosphorous grenade pops off about a third of a click away -- DUNBAR That's exactly what he says about you. PIKE Who you gonna trust, Ray? Him or your friend? Dunbar stares at him. DUNBAR You hated West, Mueller loved him -- PIKE Enough to go to prison? Childs' PX scam, Mueller was in on it -- DUNBAR Bullshit. PIKE Look in my pack. DUNBAR Why? PIKE Just look. Little pocket. Dunbar walks over to Pike's pack and unzips it. Checks the little pocket. Pulls out a VIAL and a SYRINGE. PIKE Combat grade morphine. Mueller sold it to me. DUNBAR You're lying -- PIKE Pull up my sleeve. Right arm. Dunbar does to reveal a cluster of TRACK MARKS. PIKE That look like a lie to you? I been using solid for the last eight weeks. Dunbar sits down. Not knowing what to say. PIKE After that first night on the parade grounds with you, I was bad -- exposure, malnutrition, the works. I needed something to keep me from crashing. Mueller found me. INT. CADET SHOWERS -- EIGHT WEEKS AGO Empty except for Pike. He sits, nude, curled up on the tile, as the nozzles blast STEAMING WATER down onto his shivering form. FOOTSTEPS approaching. Mueller. He leans down next to Pike, speaking to him. Kindly. PIKE (V.O.) He said he knew guy who had an in at the PX, could hook me up. This is before I knew what a dick he was. As Mueller produces a SYRINGE from his pocket... INT. BASE PX -- BACKROOM -- SIX WEEKS AGO A covert meeting among stacks of supplies. Childs stands with Mueller, talking to a gaunt Pike. Behind Pike are a group of other SICKLY LOOKING CADETS, all jonesing. PIKE Later on Childs got assigned there, started running the shit out to every cadet who needed it. But I was our class's first customer... Pike hands the smiling Mueller a WAD OF CASH... INT. CABIN -- LAST NIGHT Dunbar staring open mouthed at Pike. Shocked. DUNBAR Why... why didn't you tell me? PIKE Becoming a morphine addict during Basic ain't exactly something you want to broadcast. Only Mueller and Childs know. A beat. Dunbar gets to his feet. DUNBAR That still doesn't mean you didn't kill him. PIKE You saw West, right? How was he killed? DUNBAR Full clip to the body -- PIKE From up close or far away? DUNBAR His chest was hamburger -- PIKE That's close range. You go full auto on a guy from close range, you're gonna be swimming in blood. Look at my uniform. Nothing. Dunbar looks. Not a speck of blood on it. PIKE And where's Mueller's? When I came in, he was only wearing a t-shirt. Dunbar looks over to fireplace, where ashes are smoldering... FLASHCUT TO -- When Dunbar first entered the Cabin: Mueller, standing there in a T-SHIRT, a FIRE burning in the hearth. PIKE Way I figure it, West must have found out about their little business and was gonna bust them, so they decided to get rid of him first... DUNBAR (softly) They? PIKE Mueller and Childs. One of them must've taken the grenade from my pack on the chopper... INT. TRANSPORT HELICOPTER (FLYING) -- EARLIER LAST NIGHT The Sectioners sit, stonefaced, staring out the window. CLOSE ON -- Mueller's hand as it snakes into Pike's pack and extracts a phosphorous grenade. EXT. LOUISIANA BAYOU -- EARLIER LAST NIGHT Mueller and Pike, twenty feet apart, scouring the brush for targets. Mueller looks to Pike and then slips away... PIKE (V.O.) Then Mueller ditches me during the exercise and heads for the creek. EXT. LOUISIANA BAYOU -- CREEK BED -- EARLIER LAST NIGHT Mueller stands on the hill and pulls the grenades pin, tossing it down the embankment... PIKE (V.O.) He blows the grenade to frame me and gets West to come running... The grenade BLOWS, setting the entire area AGLOW... EXT. LOUISIANA BAYOU -- EARLIER LAST NIGHT Kendall and Childs, turning towards the sound... Note: Each shot of Kendall and Childs in this sequence should correspond exactly to Kendall's Flashback. EXT. LOUISIANA BAYOU -- CREEK BED -- NIGHT West emerges from the bush at a sprint. WEST What the fuck is going on?! Mueller runs down the embankment toward him. MUELLER I don't know, sir. Six feet away from West, Mueller suddenly raises his rifle and PULLS THE TRIGGER. EXT. LOUISIANA BAYOU -- EARLIER LAST NIGHT Kendall and Childs, running in the direction of the grenade... PIKE Childs' job is easy, he only has to delay Kendall long enough for Mueller to get away. Suddenly MACHINE GUNFIRE shatters the night! CHILDS GET DOWN! He tackles Kendall into the mud. EXT. LOUISIANA BAYOU -- CREEK BED -- EARLIER LAST NIGHT Mueller, smoking rifle in hand, uniform covered in blood stands over WEST'S DEAD BODY. He turns and runs off INTO THE BRUSH. A moment later, Childs and Kendall come into view at the top of the embankment... PIKE (V.O.) Now all Mueller has to do is get rid of the evidence... INT. CABIN -- EARLIER LAST NIGHT Mueller, still covered in blood, enters the dark cabin. He strips of his shirt and throws it in the fireplace. Striking a match, igniting the bloody rag... PIKE (V.O.) And wait for everyone else to arrive. Mueller, watching the evidence burn... INT. CABIN -- LAST NIGHT Pike sighs, finished with his story. DUNBAR I... I don't know... PIKE What don't you know? DUNBAR This is a lot of information to be getting... I have to think -- The hurricane outside GROWING LOUDER as the Cabin ROCKS again. The sound of WOOD SNAPPING. Pike stares up at the roof. PIKE There's no time to think, Ray, we gotta get out of here! You untie me, we grab the guns, get Kendall and Nunez, and make a run for it -- DUNBAR No... no, we can just wait till we get back and then tell the M.P.'s -- PIKE We wait and I'm a dead man. I got a black face, a criminal record, and over a hundred other cadets who'll testify how much I hated We