"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 West -- my court martial will take six minutes. It's either me or them, Ray, and you gotta decide right now. The cabin SHIFTS again. Dunbar stares at him. PIKE Untie me. Dunbar doesn't move. PIKE Untie me, Ray. A long beat. The two men stare at each other. And then Dunbar pulls his knife from his boot and leans down to cut Pike's bonds. PIKE Thank God... MUELLER (O.S.) What the fuck are you doing? Dunbar freezes. Caught. He looks to the open kitchen door where Mueller stands. MUELLER Guys, get out here! The others enter the room. Dunbar, kneeling there, knife inches away from severing Pike's ropes. PIKE This place is going, Mueller. We gotta move -- MUELLER Shut the fuck up. (to the others) He was gonna cut him loose. The others stare at Dunbar. NUNEZ Why? PIKE Cause I didn't do it. Childs motions to Dunbar. CHILDS Get away from there. He's serious. Dunbar moves away from Pike. MUELLER We all know what you did, Pike. I don't know what kind of nigger voodoo you been working in here, but -- PIKE Where's your shirt, Mueller? MUELLER I used it to start the fire -- PIKE Still got mine on, not a speck of blood on it. Not a bad trick for a murderer -- you said you burned yours? The others begin to look at Mueller with new eyes. MUELLER I was freezing from the hurricane -- KENDALL So you took off your shirt? MUELLER To start a fire, goddammit! (pointing to Pike) What about him, huh? Maybe he offed the Sarge and changed shirts, brought an extra one in his pack. Y'ever think of that? Go ahead, cut him loose! First chance he gets, he'll waste the rest of us, that's how they work -- The hurricane, reaching FEVER PITCH outside as WATER begins leaking in through the roof. PIKE Goddammit, Ray, we gotta get out of here -- MUELLER We're not going anywhere. Pike turns to Mueller: PIKE Cadet Michael Mueller, I hereby place you under military arrest for the murder of Sergeant Nathan West -- MUELLER The fuck are you talking about -- PIKE You are to be stripped of all weapons and placed under guard -- MUELLER Bullshit -- PIKE Until we return to base, and ballistics can match your weapon to the slugs in Sergeant West's body -- MUELLER Shut up! Mueller pulls his SIDEARM and POINTS IT AT PIKE. KENDALL Mueller, what the fuck -- DUNBAR Don't do this -- Pike, EYES LOCKED with Mueller. Continuing: PIKE A test will no doubt link you to the killing -- DUNBAR Put it down! MUELLER Tell him to shut up -- PIKE -- failure to comply with this arrest is a court martialable offense in and of itself -- KENDALL Pike, please -- PIKE Although that won't matter much when coupled with the murder charge -- MUELLER SHUT THE FUCK UP YOU FUCKING NIGGER... Pike leans forward. PIKE You stupid white trash motherfucker, I saw you do it -- And Mueller FIRES. Pike's head SNAPS BACK. The gunshot, DEAFENING. Then, for an eternity, SILENCE. Nobody moves. Nobody breathes. As if time has stopped. KENDALL Oh... my God... Mueller lowers his arm, the pistol clattering to the floor. His face, as shocked as the others. MUELLER He wouldn't... stop talking... He takes a step forward towards Pike. A hole in the middle of the black man's forehead. DUNBAR (softly) So you killed him? MUELLER I... Almost mechanically, Dunbar begins to reach for his own gun... The unmistakable sound of a two rifles' magazines being RACKED simultaneously. Dunbar turns to see Childs and Nunez, their M-16's in hand. Levelled at him. CHILDS Get that hand away. Dunbar does. Looks to Nunez. DUNBAR You too? CHILDS We can still come out of this okay. Pike got free, he got a gun, he came after us. That's the story. Mueller collapses on the ground. Head in hands. MUELLER West was one thing, but this -- CHILDS Shut up, Mueller. KENDALL You framed-him... CHILDS None of that matters now. We got two dead bodies and a story that explains them. You're either with us, or against us -- which is it? Dunbar and Kendall, looking at each other. It's clear what the wrong answer will mean. A long beat, until KENDALL Okay -- He is cut off as the WIND outside ROARS -- the HURRICANE mounting to it's FULL FORCE -- and the WINDOWS BLOW INWARDS, showering Childs, Mueller, and Nunez with glass! Dunbar's hand flies to his pistol, PULLING IT... Mueller, SCREAMING, trying to claw the glass from his EYES... Childs, seeing Dunbar move, PULLS THE TRIGGER... And the cabin is filled with the THUNDER OF GUNFIRE as Kendall goes down, clutching his ARM... DUNBAR FIRES, hitting Childs directly in the chest... Childs, still shooting, falls back, his random spray of bullets PUNCHING INTO MUELLER who jerks like a marionette... Nunez, drawing a bead on Dunbar, about to shoot, when... A great CRESCENDO of WOOD SPLINTERING and SUPPORTS BUCKLING overtakes them and the CABIN'S ROOF COMES DOWN ON THEIR HEADS. EXT. DEMOLISHED CABIN -- FIRST LIGHT Hours later. The rain has lessened and the Hurricane has begun to lift as Dunbar pulls himself from the debris. Hearing a FAINT CRY from his left. Kendall. Half conscious, his arm, bloody. Dunbar slings the man across his shoulders as the rising sun begins to peak through the clouds overhead. EXT. LOUISIANA BAYOU -- SUNRISE Dunbar, carrying Kendall towards the clearing when GUNFIRE comes from behind. He turns to look... Nunez. The only other survivor from the Cabin. A hundred yards back, rifle in hand, coming after them with a vengeance. Dunbar, sprinting towards the clearing, bullets at his heels and as he bursts from the tree line he looks up to see a HELICOPTER OVERHEAD DUNBAR (V.O.) And then I killed the last of them. FLASHCUT TO -- Nunez, chest blown open, going down... INT. COFFEE ROOM -- PRESENT DAY And we're back to the interrogation. Dunbar, stubbing out a cigarette and looking up at Hardy and Osborne. DUNBAR Can I have some coffee? Osborne blinks, like a trance has been broken. OSBORNE Yeah... yeah, sure. She goes over to the machine and pours a cup. HARDY You shot Childs and Nunez. DUNBAR They would have killed us both. You want me to write a confession, I'll write a confession. HARDY You saved Kendall's life -- DUNBAR But not Pike's. Osborne hands him the coffee. OSBORNE Why didn't you tell us all this in the first place? DUNBAR Would you have believed me? Their faces say "no". Osborne spreads a MAP out on the table. OSBORNE Where's the cabin? DUNBAR Don't know on a map. West told us it was there, we just found it. Maybe the hurricane took it away. HARDY Raymond, for you to have any chance of coming out of this, we need to locate the other bodies and examine them to corroborate your testimony. Otherwise this is just another story -- DUNBAR Mr. Hardy, I joined the army for college money. I didn't ask for any of this -- I tried to do the right thing out there and people got killed. You say finding those bodies'll help me, then go find them. I don't want to die. EXT. FOR MCKINLEY -- CORRIDORS -- DAY Hardy and Osborne, walking and talking. OSBORNE Talk it through: Childs, Mueller, and Nunez know they're going out on the regular Tuesday Night drill, hurricane or no hurricane, so they plan it: Kill West, pin it on Pike. HARDY And they're smart about it. They know when you commit a crime you know is going to be investigated, you need a fall guy and for that to work, you have to have a witness. OSBORNE Dunbar. HARDY Exactly, someone who's not involved, who's word can't be questioned. You only let them see what you want them to see, you make them believe, so when the time comes, they've totally bought into your version of events. OSBORNE They believe the innocent are guilty and the guilty are innocent. HARDY And if they're asked, that's what they'll tell the, world. OSBORNE So it's a good plan but it goes wrong; Mueller flips out and shoots their fall guy, which means they have to bring Dunbar and Kendall into the cover story -- HARDY Kendall maybe would have agreed, but the hurricane buttfucks the cabin -- OSBORNE Buttfucks the cabin? HARDY And all hell breaks loose. A lot of Good guys shoot a lot of bad guys and whiz, bang, zoom, happy ending. OSBORNE So why, after Dunbar drags Kendall out from under a house, does the Senator's son try and get us to put his savior in the gas chamber? HARDY That bugs you too? OSBORNE Little bit. HARDY Let's go talk to Bill... INT. STYLES' OFFICE -- DAY Hardy and Osborne stand in front of an agitated Styles. He tries to take a hit off his asthma inhaler and gets nothing. Frustrated, he tosses it away. STYLES Fucking asthma... This whole thing's driving it nuts. A beat. HARDY What I said before -- STYLES Was dead right. You think Dunbar's on the level? HARDY Yeah. STYLES Does Osborne agree? OSBORNE Yes, sir, I do. Hardy lays a piece of paper on Styles' desk. HARDY Dunbar's confession. It should be enough to get you out of trouble. Styles looks at it and then slowly up to Hardy. STYLES You want Kendall, don't you? OSBORNE He tried to burn Dunbar to us. You don't do that if you're not involved. Hardy nods, agreeing. Styles stares at them. STYLES You both know if you do this, if you go after a Senator's son and you're wrong... it's not just me in the hot seat anymore. OSBORNE We know. STYLES (to Hardy) I'm giving you a chance to walk away. HARDY We know. Styles nods and looks to his desk. Almost to himself: STYLES You don't get to be a Colonel without compromising. Without getting out of the way of the bigger dogs. You politic, play it safe, think of the career first. And when things get dirty, you just look the other way... He looks back up at Hardy. His eyes, steeled. STYLES Four of my men are dead. You think Kendall had something to do with it, then you go get the son of a bitch. INT. KENDALL'S HOSPITAL ROOM -- DAY Kendall lies in his bed, looking worse than before. Hardy and Osborne enter. OSBORNE Pike never confessed. KENDALL We've been making progress, I see. Osborne looks to her watch. Kendall notices. KENDALL Running out of time, are we? Tick- tock, tick-tock, how long till your witnesses fly the coop? OSBORNE Fifty minutes. KENDALL Not much time to solve the crime. Tell me, detective, how did it feel taking blood money from Guissepe Torres? Did it weigh on your conscience or did you just not think about it? HARDY You tried to pin three stone murders on Dunbar -- KENDALL How many murders did you cover up? One? Five? Maybe an even ten. HARDY (to Osborne) Can I go to jail for punching a guy who's been shot? Kendall begins coughing. KENDALL I think they're giving me the wrong medicine. This isn't a very good hospital, you know -- Hardy sighs and goes to the sink to get him some water. KENDALL Epileptic attacks are murder on your system. Rattle your internal organs like a paint mixer. HARDY My heart weeps. He returns with a GLASS OF WATER and hands it to Kendall. OSBORNE Pike never confessed. KENDALL No, but it got you interested, didn't it? Got you to dig. Inspired Ray to tell you terribly sordid tales about drugs and creek beds and dead little sergeants who stuck their noses where they didn't belong. HARDY Is it the truth? KENDALL There's that word again. (smiling) As I told you, I wasn't in the room when everyone started shooting. OSBORNE Dunbar says you were. KENDALL Then he's mistaken. You know, I really don't think my father would approve of this line of questioning -- HARDY Why did you tell us he shot everybody, Levi? You put him in for three murders, the man saved your life -- KENDALL So I should stay silent about his misdeeds? The guns went off, I ran in, Childs shot me, Pike and Mueller were dead, and Dunbar was running out the door with the smoking gun -- HARDY Dunbar was running out the door? Ohhhhhh... See that's where I was confused, because I thought you said Nunez was running out the door. KENDALL No. I said Dunbar. HARDY Huh. You know, I really thought you said Nunez. I thought you said "Dunbar was gone," My fault, I gotta check the tape on that. (off Kendall's look) Oh, yeah we taped the last interview. This one too. Cause it'd be a real break for us to catch you in a lie. Silence. They wait for Kendall's reaction. He looks momentarily flustered by this... and then he smiles. KENDALL I believe your next line is "What are you trying to hide?" HARDY Well? KENDALL Sorry to disappoint. I'm on painkillers for the injury -- they cloud the mind. You're right, it was Nunez. Any more questions? Hardy doesn't know what to say. That was his ace card. KENDALL Don't get me wrong, Mueller and Childs were quite the pair, the type of guys you didn't feel comfortable going to sleep around. Completely capable of murder. But as I said, I didn't hear the exchange before the shooting. I wasn't in the room. Osborne furrows her brow at this as Hardy continues. HARDY Dunbar will testify that you were. KENDALL Then we'll leave it up to the courts -- His word against mine. What does his father do again? Steelworker? (smiling) Doesn't matter, I'm sure justice will be served. In any case, my father will definitely want to talk to you about all these questions, these accusations on his son. He's quite protective. Osborne turns to Hardy. OSBORNE I need to talk to you outside. EXT. BASE HOSPITAL -- CORRIDOR -- DAY Osborne and Hardy, exiting the room. Whispering: HARDY We're fucked, I know -- OSBORNE They got their stories straight. HARDY What? OSBORNE What Kendall said -- "the type of guys you don't feel comfortable going to sleep around." That's what Dunbar said about Childs to the letter. HARDY Are you sure? OSBORNE Positive. Hardy, they planned this. She grins. He grins back. OSBORNE Not bad for hostile and uncooperative, eh? INT. KENDALL'S HOSPITAL ROOM -- DAY Hardy and Osborne reenter, smiling. Kendall chuckles. HARDY Something funny, Levi? KENDALL I was just thinking of what's going to happen to your careers when my father gets through with you. Hardy pulls the out MICRORECORDER and hands it to Osborne. HARDY Why don't you talk to Levi off the record for a second? OSBORNE Good idea. Smiling, she stops the tape. Then turns to Kendall. OSBORNE You and Dunbar got your stories straight. Little details, little inconsistencies, designed to bounce us back from one of you to the other, asking questions, killing time, until the transport arrives and whisks you away to where Senator Daddy can protect you. You think you're just going to slide out of this? You're an accessory to murder, Levi, you're going to jail -- KENDALL You can't threaten me -- HARDY Jail if he's lucky, the gas chamber if he's not -- KENDALL I didn't do anything -- Osborne laughs. OSBORNE It doesn't matter, Levi. We're going to find those bodies and when we do, I'm going to make sure one of them has a bullet in them that matches your weapon -- KENDALL What? HARDY That's a fantastic idea -- OSBORNE See, I just take your gun to the morgue and fire it into one of their skulls; then I call every newspaper in the country with the story about how Senator Kendall's gay son went nuts on a training mission -- KENDALL (beginning to panic) It won't work -- OSBORNE It will and you know why? Because you're not a person anymore, you're a cadet in the United States Army; you have no identity, no Miranda warning, and no rights. So I'm gonna throw you to the wolves, and unlike you, I'm gonna get away with it, because you're pissing me off! She finishes, breathing hard. Kendall, totally cowed. Hardy, trying to suppress a smile. Osborne rises for the door. OSBORNE Enjoy your flight to Washington -- KENDALL Wait -- OSBORNE What. Silence. Kendall takes a deep breath. KENDALL Dunbar's telling the truth. OSBORNE Wrong answer -- KENDALL We did get our stories straight, but not because we killed anyone. (pause) It was because I threatened him. HARDY Why? KENDALL Because of what I saw. (pause) Who really killed West. Osborne holds up the microrecorder and starts the tape again. OSBORNE Who killed Sergeant West? Kendall stares at the recorder. A long pause. OSBORNE Who, Levi -- KENDALL Childs. HARDY How do you know? KENDALL Because I was standing next to him. He pauses, taking a shaky sip of water. KENDALL I was in on the PX thing. He and Mueller and me, we were making thousands. West found out. Childs said we were just gonna scare him -- use my Dad's clout. I had this whole speech prepared about how if he ratted us, his career was over. We met him in the creek bed but before I said anything... EXT. LOUISIANA BAYOU -- CREEK BED -- LAST NIGHT West stands in front of Childs and Kendall, facing them. Kendall opens his mouth to speak, but Childs steps forward and raises his rifle, FIRING... INT. KENDALL'S HOSPITAL ROOM -- PRESENT DAY KENDALL I swear, I didn't know he was gonna do it. After, he told me we were gonna pin it on Pike, one of our biggest customers. INT. CABIN -- LAST NIGHT As they TIE PIKE to the, chair. KENDALL (V.O.) Nobody'd believe the word of a black junkie ex-con against ours. Childs gives Kendall a look that says "Stay quiet". KENDALL (V.O.) He told me I'd better keep quiet, or I'd end up the same as West. Pan over to Dunbar, who binds his friend, sadly. KENDALL (V.O.) Dunbar didn't know anything about any of it. Everything he told you was true, except after... EXT. LOUISIANA BAYOU -- LAST NIGHT Dunbar pulls Kendall from the cabin's wreckage. As Kendall begins to talk to him, Dunbar's eyes widen in shock... KENDALL (V.O.) I told him what had really happened to West. Told him to keep quiet about it or I'd destroy him. Because if it came out that I was involved with the whole PX scam, my father would be finished. INT. KENDALL'S HOSPITAL ROOM -- PRESENT DAY KENDALL I scared Dunbar into silence. He's been trying to cover for me the whole time. We got here, you came to see me... I didn't know if I could trust him with that kind of secret -- OSBORNE So you framed him. The same way Childs was going to frame Pike. Kendall nods. Crying a little. HARDY Little advice, Levi, next time you frame a guy, pick someone who can't defend themselves. Kendall says nothing. OSBORNE What happened with Nunez? KENDALL He came after us. And I told Dunbar he had to kill him... EXT. CLEARING -- EARLIER THAT MORNING The helicopter, hovering overhead. Dunbar, carrying Kendall, spinning his rifle to face Nunez, sixty yards away. Dunbar hesitates before firing, not wanting to... KENDALL Do it! Dunbar's rifle ERUPTS... INT. KENDALL'S HOSPITAL ROOM -- PRESENT DAY KENDALL And he did. Kendall finishes, wiping his face. Osborne turns to Hardy. OSBORNE That's how you do good cop/bad cop. Hardy smiles and gets up. Walking slowly to Kendall's bed. HARDY Childs did it, huh? Kendall nods, still a little teary. HARDY First Pike, then Mueller, now Childs? When are we getting to the others? When are we gonna hear about Nunez? FLASHCUT TO -- NUNEZ, in the creek bed, SHOOTING WEST. HARDY Or Dunbar? FLASHCUT TO -- Now DUNBAR, SHOOTING WEST. HARDY Or you, Levi? When is it finally going to come out that you were the one who killed him? FLASHCUT TO -- KENDALL, SHOOTING WEST. KENDALL I didn't -- HARDY But you can't prove it! You can't prove anything until we find the bodies! Kendall, crying harder now, beginning to shake. HARDY You lied to us, Levi, you're going to the gas chamber unless you tell us where to find them! KENDALL I don't know -- HARDY Where are they! KENDALL Maybe -- HARDY MAYBE WHAT -- KENDALL Maybe he... And then, his mouth SLAMS SHUT. Teeth cracking together over and over again like a metronome on speed, and his body JERKS HORRIBLY, going horizontal, SHAKING VIOLENTLY! Osborne, leaping to her feet. OSBORNE Get something between his teeth! Hardy grabs a fork from the bedside table and tries to shove it into Kendall's chattering mouth. His teeth, CLAMPING DOWN on the metal and Hardy's hand, drawing blood. HARDY Shit! The Nurse bursts into the room. NURSE What is -- OSBORNE He's an epileptic! The Nurse runs to the bed, pushing Hardy aside. As more MEDICAL PERSONNEL runs into the room, they usher Hardy and Osborne to the door. DOCTOR You're going to have to wait outside -- OSBORNE He's a witness! DOCTOR It doesn't matter, outside -- KENDALL F-F-F-F-F-F-Fuh- Osborne tries to move to him, but the Doctor blocks her path. OSBORNE He's trying to say something -- DOCTOR Out, NOW. KENDALL Fuh-Fuh-Fuh-Fuh-Fuh- Osborne knocks the Doctor down and runs to Kendall's side. DOCTOR SECURITY! Kendall looks up, focusing on Osborne, a slight moment of clarity in his eyes. KENDALL Fuh-Fucking Pike. And relapses into ANOTHER FIT as SECURITY GUARDS drag Hardy and Osborne from the room. INT. BASE HOSPITAL -- WAITING ROOM -- DAY Later. Hardy and Osborne sit in silence, eyes downcast. Waiting. Hardy pulls his last cigarette from the pack, lights it, crumples the pack and tosses it into a garbage can. HARDY I pushed him too hard. OSBORNE You couldn't have known -- HARDY Yeah, I could've. Should've. OSBORNE You wanted to get the truth. HARDY No, I didn't. I wanted to humiliate him. For what he did to Dunbar. For fucking over the little guy. OSBORNE You mean the falsely accused? Hardy looks up at her and nods. OSBORNE You wanted to break him. HARDY Yeah. OSBORNE So did I. She looks back to the floor. Hardy takes a drag from the cigarette, and then tosses that away too. The door opens and Styles walks into the room. Somber. STYLES It's over. Time of death was 4:42. JAG's been notified and I called the Senator myself. My report will reflect that his medical condition made this unavoidable... you two had no culpability in the matter. HARDY That's horseshit and you know it. STYLES Maybe. But it's my fault and I'll carry it. He sighs and takes a seat next to them. STYLES We found the cabin. Demolished, like they said. No bodies. Hurricane like that coulda scooped 'em up, dropped them down two counties over. We'll find them. Hardy says nothing. STYLES You think you could explain all this to me? HARDY I wouldn't know where to start. (pause) I guess it was about one man framing another. He thought if the other guy got blamed, people would over look his own wrong doings. Styles nods, understanding. OSBORNE What happens to Dunbar now? STYLES Gets on his plane in ten minutes, which means you two are done. You'll understand if I don't walk you out. Hardy gets up to go and then stops. Realizing something. HARDY They're taking your command, aren't they? STYLES The Senator... He points to Kendall's hospital room. HARDY I'm sorry, Bill. STYLES Don't be. I'm not cut out to deal with the West's of the world. HARDY You're a good soldier, Bill. STYLES I thought you said that wasn't a compliment. Hardy smiles. HARDY This time it is. EXT. FORT MCKINLEY -- PARADE GROUNDS -- EVENING The sun, beginning to dip in the sky, as Hardy and Osborne exit the hospital. OSBORNE Your car's in the motor pool. I'll walk you over. They walk in silence, for a bit. OSBORNE So what now? HARDY Now I go home, get drunk, and try and forget this ever happened. OSBORNE Think it'll work? HARDY Nah. They pass a GROUP OF CADETS doing drills. Hardy, watching them. Almost looking wistful. OSBORNE You know, you never told me why you left the army. HARDY It dawned on me one day that we were supposed to be a nation founded on the principle of questioning authority... and all I did here was follow orders. It didn't add up. Plus, I got kicked out. OSBORNE For what? HARDY That's gonna stay my secret. INT. MOTOR POOL -- EVENING Hardy and Osborne make their way towards Hardy's car. OSBORNE We were close to something with Kendall. HARDY Maybe... Maybe we were nowhere near. Sometimes mysteries stay mysteries. (pause) I haven't by any chance grown on you, have I? OSBORNE No. HARDY Good, just making sure. Osborne turns to the DUTY SERGEANT. OSBORNE We're going need a vehicle release. The Sergeant nods, walking up with a clipboard. SERGEANT Sign here and here. (recognizing them) Hey, ain't you the folks workin' on that whole hulabaloo from last night? OSBORNE Yeah. SERGEANT Terrible tragedy. One of those Section Eight boys worked in here. Pike. Heard he got out okay. Hardy signs the clipboard and hands it back. HARDY Hate to be the bearer of bad news, Sergeant, but he didn't make it. The Sergeant scratches his head. SERGEANT Funny. I swear I saw them bring him and the smaller guy in this morning. OSBORNE No, no that was Cadet Dunbar -- SERGEANT You mean Ray Dunbar? Well, that ain't right. HARDY Why not? SERGEANT I saw 'em get off the chopper. White guys, right? Two OSBORNE So? SERGEANT Ma'am, Ray Dunbar's black. Hardy and Osborne stare at him. Shocked. A beat. SERGEANT Did I say something wrong -- HARDY (to Osborne) What runway's that transport leaving from? OSBORNE Four -- HARDY Get in. EXT. FORT MCKINLEY -- PARADE GROUNDS -- EVENING CADETS SCATTER as Hardy's car ROARS OUT OF THE MOTOR POOL, PEELING across the grass towards the far side of the base! Hardy, white knuckling the wheel, doing his best to steer around anyone who can't get out of the way in time. EXT. FORT MCKINLEY RUNWAY FOUR -- EVENING A Large TRANSPORT PLANE sits on the runway waiting as three M.P.'s and a JAG LAWYER lead Dunbar/Pike (who, for purposes of continuity, we will continue to call DUNBAR) out to it. The SQUEAL OF TIRES as Hardy's car SLIDES around the corner of the nearest building and SCREECHES to a halt by the plane. Hardy and Osborne, leaping out, running towards Dunbar and the M.P.s. OSBORNE We need to talk to him -- JAG LAWYER Sorry, Officer, we have a schedule to keep -- OSBORNE We need to talk to him now. Hardy grabs Dunbar by the arm. HARDY We're not finished yet -- DUNBAR You wanna bet? JAG LAWYER M.P.'s, escort this man off the base! DUNBAR (smiling) Sorry, detectives. Time's up. As the M.P.'s grab Hardy, dragging him away. Osborne, trying to stop them. Dunbar, climbing the stairs onto the plane... Osborne pulls her SIDEARM, levelling it at him as Hardy yells: HARDY James Randall Pike, COME ON DOWN! Dunbar stops at the hatchway. Slowly turning back to them. Seeing the gun. The M.P.'s release Hardy. Nobody moves. OSBORNE Let's go have a talk. INT. COFFEE ROOM -- EVENING Hardy and Osborne roughly lead Dunbar into the room, the JAG Lawyer trailing behind, shouting: JAG LAWYER This is your entire career here -- OSBORNE Fuck off. She slams the door and BARRICADES it. Turns to Hardy. OSBORNE We got maybe three minutes till they break it down. HARDY Right back where we started. DUNBAR You want to talk about baseball now? Hardy practically throws Dunbar into a chair. HARDY No more games, right, Pike? It was you who West singled out... FLASHCUT TO -- WEST on the parade grounds, now strangling DUNBAR on the first day... HARDY You who got hooked by Mueller's morphine... FLASHCUT TO -- Now DUNBAR in the showers as MUELLER hands him a syringe... HARDY You who did it all. Hardy steps forward and RIPS OPEN Dunbar's right sleeve, revealing the TRACK MARKS. HARDY You wanted revenge on West, revenge on them all, so you killed them. INT. CABIN -- LAST NIGHT Dunbar standing in the Cabin; Mueller, Childs, and Pike, dead at his feet. HARDY (V.O.) But that wasn't enough. You needed a new identity, because no one was going to believe James Randall Pike, convicted felon, had acted so nobly in the face of danger -- you needed a name people could trust, one that hadn't been to jail, one that hadn't publicly been West's bitch boy. He stares down at the bodies in the cabin, his eyes focusing on the black man's uniform. The name on it reads -- "DUNBAR". As he reaches for it... INT. COFFEE ROOM -- PRESENT EVENING OSBORNE You kept Kendall alive to corroborate your story and he did it all they way up to the end. You even gave him his own motive in case we decided to burn him, too. DUNBAR Can't do that now, though, can you? HARDY You walked into the army a convicted felon with a sentence of five years in a uniform and were going walk out eight weeks later with a different name, a clean record, and an honorable discharge -- a guy who did "everything he could" to save his friends. Dunbar looks at them. One to the other. Slowly. DUNBAR Is that what I did, now? And of course, you can prove all of it. OSBORNE We can prove that you're not Ray Dunbar. Impersonating a fellow Cadet is a court-martial in and of itself -- DUNBAR Did I ever claim I was Raymond Dunbar? Was I ever told to state my name rank and serial number for the record? No. You assumed who I was, because I was wearing this uniform. Don't believe me? He reaches under the table and rips out the HIDDEN MICROPHONE. DUNBAR Check your tapes. Hardy and Osborne exchange an uneasy glance. HARDY We don't need the tapes -- DUNBAR Oh, you don't? What else do you have on me? You haven't found any bodies yet, have you? HARDY We've found all of them. Dunbar chuckles at the bluff. DUNBAR Ohhhh, I don't think so... OSBORNE How do you know that? DUNBAR Just a guess. Maybe they're not where they're supposed to be. Maybe somebody moved them. Habeas Corpus -- no bodies, no crime, and Nunez still plays as self defense. Face it detectives... you have nothing. Hardy, knowing he's right. In a flash he reaches down PULLS OSBORNE'S GUN and grabs Dunbar, SLAMMING him up against the wall, pressing the weapon TO HIS TEMPLE! HARDY Not true, Cadet, I've got a gun -- DUNBAR (terrified) Jesus! OSBORNE Hardy, what are you doing -- HARDY Isn't this how your story goes? Pike annoys someone so much he gets shot in the head -- DUNBAR Please, please don't -- A POUNDING on the locked door. Hardy ignores it. HARDY We can tie you to the chair if it'll work better for you -- OSBORNE Hardy, for Chrissakes -- HARDY WHERE'S WEST'S BODY? DUNBAR (practically in tears) You'll never find it -- Hardy COCKS the pistol as Dunbar screams: DUNBAR You'll never find it cause HE'S NOT DEAD! A CRASH as the door's lock SNAPS and M.P.'s POUR into the room! Styles and the JAG Lawyer behind, taking in the scene. STYLES What in God's name is going on? Hardy releases Dunbar, who slides to the floor, gasping. DUNBAR He -- He made me do it -- HARDY Do what? DUNBAR Hunting -- we had to hunt him -- JAG LAWYER Sergeant, arrest these men! OSBORNE You mean the exercise? DUNBAR There never was an exercise! Never targets, never teams, I don't even know if there's a creek bed out there -- As the M.P.'s grab Hardy and Osborne, pulling them away... HARDY What did you do? JAG LAWYER That's enough -- HARDY Goddammit, what did you DO?! DUNBAR I COULDN'T KILL HIM! He breaks down sobbing. Styles holds up a hand to the M.P.'s. STYLES Hang on. JAG LAWYER Colonel -- STYLES No. I want to hear this. The JAG Lawyer glowers as the M.P.'s stand down. Dunbar tries to pull himself together. To Hardy: DUNBAR You're right. I was the one he singled out. Beat me morning, noon, and night, ran me ragged. When Mueller found me, I was gone. He gave me a little taste... INT. CADET SHOWERS -- EIGHT WEEKS AGO Mueller showing the syringe to the naked Dunbar. Dunbar's voice over speaks in unison with Mueller: MUELLER AND DUNBAR (V.O.) I got a friend with an in at the PX, can hook you up... INT. COFFEE ROOM -- PRESENT EVENING DUNBAR What I didn't know, was his friend was West. He ran the whole thing. STYLES You're lying, son. DUNBAR You think it's easy to have all that morphine just disappear without a higher up authorizing it? Check the requisition orders, I'll lay money it's his signature on them. INT. SECTION EIGHT BARRACKS -- EIGHT WEEKS AGO Dunbar, alone, sleeve rolled up, arm tied off: Sliding the needle into his vein... DUNBAR (V.O.) That was his game, see? Ride the cadets so hard they'd need something to stay on their feet. Then he'd send Mueller or Kendall to them, waving around their magic needle promising to make it all go away. He hits the plunger, injecting. His face goes tranquil. INT. COFFEE ROOM -- PRESENT EVENING DUNBAR It wasn't a new thing either. He'd been doing this for years. Every nine weeks, a new class of cadets, new potential customers. The amount of money involved over that period of time... this was some high stakes shit. He takes a deep breath, looking at them. DUNBAR Dunbar moved his through the kitchen. I worked in the motor pool and hooked all the mechanics. By the time the hurricane hit, we were all in. Some using, some pushing, some both. But then something happened. West heard one of us was about to talk, to blow his whole operation. He figured he'd made enough money, had enough of the army, maybe it was time to disappear. But first he was gonna teach us one last thing. INT. SECTION EIGHT BARRACKS -- LAST NIGHT West, entering the barracks, shouting the cadets awake. DUNBAR (V.O.) The Tuesday Night drill was the perfect cover. The hurricane made it even better. EXT. FORT MCKINLEY -- TARMAC -- LAST NIGHT The cadets, climbing aboard the chopper. DUNBAR (V.O.) He put us on the chopper and flew us to his cabin. And then he told us. INT. CABIN -- LAST NIGHT The six men stand in rigid formation, eyes on West. WEST Gentlemen! It has come to my attention that there is a traitor in our midst. Someone who was going to break the code of fraternal brotherhood that I have endeavored to create in all of you. Perhaps that failure is mine. But we take care of our own. And this traitor must be made to pay. He walks down the line of the six men, eyeing each of them. Finally stopping at one. Putting a hand on his shoulder. Nunez. WEST Run. NUNEZ Sir, I wasn't -- WEST I know you were. Cadet Mueller found the letter you'd written to the Colonel in your locker. You were going to betray us all. Now, run. He points to the door. The hurricane, RAGING outside. Nunez looks to the others, then the door, and understands. He takes off running out the door. Gone. West walks over to a table covered with a tarp. Pulls the cloth aside to reveal M-16's, PISTOLS, and GRENADES. WEST Now we'll see whose training's paid off the most. You are to hunt Cadet Nunez down and bring his body back to me. If you fail and he escapes, we all go down together. The remaining five cadets, understanding there is no place for friendship or kindness here. This is life and death. They walk to the table and gear up. EXT. LOUISIANA BAYOU -- LAST NIGHT Lightning, thunder, and rain as Nunez runs unarmed through the thick brush. SOMEWHERE BEHIND HIM -- The other five fan out, rifles up, following his trail, ready to kill. DUNBAR (V.O.) It was insanity. We were hunting a man down to kill him. ON MUELLER Making his way down embankment, M-l6 out, ready for anything. From behind him, MOVEMENT... DUNBAR (V.O.) He got Mueller first. Nunez TACKLES HIM at full speed, feet SLIPPING on the wet hill, and the two TUMBLE head first into a GULLY. Punching, kicking, biting, anything to stop the other man. Nunez, CHOKING Mueller as he strains to reach his gun... MUELLER Roberto... With a HEAVE, Nunez SNAPS HIS NECK. Mueller lies still. DUNBAR (V.O.) He took his gun. Used it on Childs. Nunez spins, seeing CHILDS BEHIND HIM. He DIVES as Childs fires! Hits the ground in a roll, comes up with Mueller's rifle, and SHOOTS -- BLOWING CHILDS BACK against the wet rocks. DUNBAR (V.O.) I can't imagine what it was like. Having your friends try to kill you... Nunez slumps against the gully's wall, breathing hard. In agony over what he's just had to do. DUNBAR (V.O.) But you do what you have to survive. Closing his eyes, Nunez steels himself. Wipes the blood from his hands and climbs out of the gully. ELSEWHERE PIKE, creeping through the foliage. Trying to listen for sounds of movement through the storm. His eyes narrow as he hears a HIGH PITCHED WHINE... The bullet hits his forehead dead center. He crumples. PULL BACK TO REVEAL -- Nunez in a tree, thirty meters away. Lowering his rifle. He climbs down. DUNBAR (V.O.) Kendall and I found Dunbar a couple minutes later. TIME CUT TO: Dunbar and Kendall come upon Pike's fallen form. They gaze down at the uniform emblazoned with the name "DUNBAR". DUNBAR (V.O.) It came to me in a split second. Change clothes, change identities. If James Pike gets discharged he goes right back to jail. But if I was Dunbar, I could walk away from all this with a new life. But then... As he reaches down for the uniform, a SHOT RINGS OUT. KENDALL FALLS, wounded in the arm. Dunbar raises his rifle to find Nunez, standing ten yards away, gun trained on him. Yelling over the hurricane: NUNEZ Put it down! A Mexican stand-off. The rain continues to fall. DUNBAR I just want to go! Nunez shakes his head. NUNEZ You were gonna kill me, Pike! Thought you were my friend! Dunbar, torn. He can't bring himself to shoot, but he can't surrender either. DUNBAR I have to get Kendall to a hospital! NUNEZ He was gonna kill me too! Silence. The two men still facing each other. NUNEZ I snapped Mueller's neck! He was my best friend and I had to snap his neck because he was gonna shoot me for drugs! For West! DUNBAR We don't have to do this! You go that way, I'll go this way! Nunez laughs. NUNEZ You'll shoot me in the back! DUNBAR You killed three people! Isn't that enough for one night? More silence. Neither moves. The sky above, a maelstrom. DUNBAR I don't want to die out here, Roberto! Do you? Nunez, staring at him. Deciding. NUNEZ If you even twitch... Dunbar nods. Nunez begins backing away, rifle still trained on him. And then Dunbar spies something behind and to the left of Nunez... West. Staring down at him from behind some brush. Watching. Nunez, slowly backing away. He pauses as his foot catches on a fallen branch. Looks away from Dunbar for a split second to step over it... West nods to Dunbar as if to say "Go on..." DUNBAR Forgive me... And Dunbar FIRES. Nunez, caught by the burst, GOES DOWN. The echo of the gunshots, swallowed by the storm. Dunbar lowers his head in agony. West walks down. WEST Congratulations, Cadet Pike. You get the gold star. Dunbar stares at his Sergeant through the rain. DUNBAR Fuck you. West smiles. Tilts his head to Kendall. WEST You'd best get him out of here. Don't worry about the bodies, they'll be taken care of. Dunbar doesn't move. WEST This is where we part ways, Cadet. You tell them I died out here, or I'll come back for you. Tell them one of the others did me. Mueller, Childs, I don't care who. You and Kendall, you tell them a story. (smiling) You can tell a story, can't you? Dunbar doesn't reply. West laughs and flips him a salute. WEST Dismissed. And West turns and walks away, stepping over Nunez. Giving Dunbar a clear shot at his back. Dunbar raises his rifle, wanting, needing, dying to shoot the old man... But he can't. West disappears into the bayou. A GROAN from the ground. Kendall. Dunbar's reverie broken, he leans down, beginning to unbutton the Dunbar Uniform... INT. COFFEE ROOM -- PRESENT EVENING Dunbar stubs out a cigarette, finished. Hardy, Osborne, Styles, and the JAG Lawyer gaping at what he has just said. DUNBAR I guess Nunez wasn't dead after all. He came after us with a vengeance. (to Styles) You know the rest. HARDY And the bodies? DUNBAR You won't find them. Won't find West, either. He's too good. OSBORNE No bodies, no West... HARDY No death certificates. No crime. DUNBAR Just four people MIA. Silence. The JAG Lawyer steps forward. JAG LAWYER You'll testify to this, the corruption, the drug scam? Dunbar says nothing. JAG LAWYER We can cut a deal for you on the Nunez killing. DUNBAR I don't want any deals. JAG LAWYER If you're telling the truth, the PX requisition records will prove it -- DUNBAR All the proof you need will be when West comes back and puts a bullet in my brain. But I'll do it. I'm a dead man, anyway. Like Kendall. (looking at Hardy) We both should have died out there with our brothers. I know that now. Silence. The JAG Lawyer looks to Hardy, all anger gone. JAG LAWYER I'll take him now if you don't mind. Hardy nods. Dunbar rises and slowly walks to the door. Turning back to Hardy. DUNBAR Tell me, detective. Did you get what you wanted? Hardy shakes his head, sadly. HARDY Not even close. They leave. Styles walks over to Hardy. STYLES Tom -- Hardy holds up a hand, cutting him off. Styles nods, understanding, and leaves, closing the door behind him. Hardy and Osborne stand there. Not speaking. It's done. INT. FORT MCKINLEY -- OFFICER'S CLUB -- NIGHT Several hours and bourbons later, Hardy sits at the bar, drunk and alone. Out of place, the only one not in uniform. Osborne walks in, locates Hardy, and strides over to the bar, a sheaf of papers under her arm. Her face, stoic. OSBORNE We need to talk -- HARDY Seven. He takes a slug of his drink. OSBORNE What? HARDY Seven guys. What was it you said? You were "just starting to believe I wasn't the guy people said". He chuckles. HARDY That's the answer to Kendall's question. How many? Seven. Osborne looks at him. Realizing what he's saying. OSBORNE This isn't the time -- HARDY This is the perfect time. You know what makes a good detective? The number of confessions they get. You're a good detective, Osborne. So now you get mine. OSBORNE What if I don't want it? HARDY Tough. He pours himself another drink. HARDY Thing about taking money is, you don't have to do anything. You just sit there. Maybe you don't return a phone call. Maybe you don't follow up a lead. But that's it. Keep the money, your work's done. Osborne stares at him. HARDY Seven unsolved murders. And you know what? It didn't weigh on my conscience. Not one goddamn bit. He takes a slug from his glass and grimaces. OSBORNE That's not true. HARDY There are degrees of truth, officer. Always degrees. OSBORNE You're a good man, Hardy. HARDY Really. OSBORNE Far as I'm concerned, whatever you did in the past can stay in the past. Hardy stares at her. HARDY I may not be growing on you, but you're sure as hell growing on me. He motions to the bartender for another glass, but Osborne takes his hand, stopping him. OSBORNE And because you're a good man, I know you'll do the right thing. Hardy looks at her, questioning. Osborne takes a deep breath. OSBORNE Pike never made it to D.C. Somebody took him off the plane before it left. My guess is he's already dead. Hardy stares at her. HARDY West? OSBORNE Nobody saw. But I don't think so. She puts the papers on the bar. OSBORNE These are the requisitions from the PX, the ones used to release the drugs to Mueller. West signed half of them -- Pike was telling the truth. Look who signed the other half. She taps the bottom of the paper. Hardy, not wanting to believe it. He looks up at her, pained. HARDY Do I have a choice in this? OSBORNE Yeah. I can wait till you're off the base and do it myself. Hardy stares at his glass. Deciding. HARDY Fuck it. Let's go finish this. INT. STYLES' OFFICE -- NIGHT Styles, finishing his paperwork. He rises and turns off his desk light, bathing the office in DARKNESS. He's about to leave when he notices a SILHOUETTE in the doorway. HARDY "You have to get out of the way of the bigger dogs". That was good. Styles squints at the figure. STYLES Tom, is that you? Hardy steps forward, into the office. HARDY It was so good, I actually forgot you're one of the bigger dogs now. The Base Commander. The one in control. You couldn't let him testify, could you? STYLES What are you talking about? HARDY If you let him testify then it would have all come out. West was supposed to take care of it out there, shut Nunez up and then disappear. But it got messy and people got killed. So you called your old pal Tom Hardy, figuring if worse came to worse, he'd cover for you. STYLES You're drunk -- HARDY I'm not going to cover for you, Bill. Not for this. Styles, realizing what Hardy's talking about. STYLES Look -- He begins to move from behind his desk. HARDY Stay where you are. STYLES Or what? You've gone round the bend -- HARDY West had a partner. Someone who knew how to get things done. Hardy throws the papers onto Styles' desk. HARDY What I can't understand is why you signed these. If you'd just let West take care of the paperwork, no one would have known, but you got careless. So when Pike finally told the truth you had to get rid of him, too. STYLES That's preposterous -- HARDY Toxicology report came back. Kendall's attack was caused by a drug known as anephadrine, maybe you've heard of it. It's for asthmatics. If an epileptic takes enough, it kills them. I checked with the nurses at the hospital -- you're the only other person who visited Kendall. STYLES I wanted to see if he was okay -- HARDY You poisoned him, Bill. You heard our interrogation, you knew he was ready to crack, so you killed him, just like Pike. STYLES I'm not even going to dignify that -- HARDY No! You will stand there and you will listen! What happened to you, Bill? You were the one who joined up to do good in the world. You were the one who believed in it -- STYLES You want to get into a finger pointing contest about character? The army kicked you out for drugs, the cops fired you for taking bribes from a mobster, and you think you can stand there and lecture me on codes of conduct? There's only one criminal standing in this room and it's you. HARDY Not for long. He walks towards the desk. HARDY No more witnesses. West's a ghost. But it doesn't matter because we have your signature, the hospital log, and Kendall's toxicology report. And that'll be enough. STYLES You're crazy -- HARDY You can't duck this, Bill. I may have done every goddamn thing in my life wrong but I won't let this happen. STYLES For the last time, I have no idea what you're talking about -- HARDY (squinting) Get your hands away from the desk! In the darkness we see Styles MOVE SUDDENLY... HARDY Osborne, gun! Hardy DIVES to the floor -- Osborne in the doorway, PISTOL raised, FIRES TWO SHOTS! Muzzle flare lighting the room for a split second as Styles is BLOWN BACK against the wall! Hardy gets to his feet and flicks on the LIGHT. Styles lies slumped in the corner, two holes in his chest. Dead. Osborne lowers her weapon, shaking. Hardy points to the top desk drawer, which is open. Inside it sits an IVORY HANDLED PISTOL. Fully loaded, safety off. It's presence tells them everything they need to know. OSBORNE It's West's, isn't it? Hardy nods and then turns to look down at Styles' body. HARDY Now it's over. EXT. FORT MCKINLEY -- PARADE GROUNDS -- NIGHT The aftermath. Flashing blue and red lights from parked Military Police vehicles illuminate the grounds as M.P.'s string crime scene tape around the front entrance of the building, securing the site for investigation. Hardy takes in the entire scene from afar. Standing by his GTO, watching as several M.P.'s finish questioning Osborne. When she's done she spies Hardy and walks over to him. OSBORNE What are you doing out here? HARDY Leaving without saying goodbye. What are you gonna do? OSBORNE Go home, get drunk, and try and forget this ever happened. HARDY Think it'll work? OSBORNE Nah. HARDY Want company? Osborne smiles. OSBORNE A word of advice about women -- that first hour or so after they kill their boss? Probably not the best time to hit on them. HARDY I should probably write that down. OSBORNE Yeah. Hardy pulls a card from his pocket and hands it to her. OSBORNE Your phone number? HARDY In case you need me to testify about the shooting. They'll clear you. A beat. OSBORNE He was your friend. HARDY Yeah. But he was a lot of other things, too. Thanks. She nods. An awkward moment. Finally: HARDY I'll see you. He turns away. Walking towards his car. OSBORNE Hey, Hardy! He turns back. She walks up and holds something out to him. A ten dollar bill. OSBORNE I owe you this. He looks down at the money. HARDY You saved my life tonight. Keep it. (pause) Actually, don't keep it, I need the money. He takes the bill and Osborne laughs. He climbs into his car and starts it. Grinning at her through the open window. HARDY You're one of the good ones, Osborne. Don't sweat the details. He puts the GTO in gear and drives off. She watches him go, then looks down at his card. Smiling. Maybe she will call. INT. OSBORNE'S APARTMENT -- NIGHT A bottle of Scotch at her side, Osborne slips a tape marked "BASIC TRAINING INTRO - SGT. N. WEST" into her VCR. Settles back to watch it. West's face fills the screen. WEST Welcome, Cadets. The art of warfare is simple and complex. Simple in its goal, complex in its execution. INT. HARDY'S GTO (MOVING) -- NIGHT It's started to rain. Hardy drives in silence. WEST As Sun Tzu writes, the true warfare is deception. A HITCHHIKER up ahead. Hardy pulls over for him. INT. OSBORNE'S APARTMENT -- NIGHT Osborne, drinking and watching. WEST At all times you must confuse your enemies, surrounding them with uncertainty, giving them false hope. INT. HARDY'S GTO -- NIGHT The Hitchhiker gets into the car. WEST At all times, you must mask your true intentions. Hardy, smiling at him, because the Hitchhiker is not a Hitchhiker at all... HARDY (V.O.) Why'd you ask for a cop, Ray? The Hitchhiker is Dunbar. OSBORNE (V.O.) They got their stories straight... EXT. LOUISIANA BAYOU -- CREEK BED -- LAST NIGHT 24 hours ago. The hurricane rages. A HAND pulls the PIN on a phosphorous grenade and CHUCKS IT. It blows, frying brush and nothing more. West comes over the hill, running to investigate. He stops at what he sees. Nunez stands unarmed in the creek bed, SURROUNDED by the other Section Eight Cadets. A prisoner. WEST What the fuck is going on? DUNBAR Your weapons, Sergeant. West doesn't move. Kendall walks over and DISARMS West, pushing him into the circle next to the terrified Nunez. WEST Is this about that little drug business you all are running? Yeah, I know about that, Roberto told me -- NUNEZ Shut up! Look, we won't say anything -- WEST Fuck that. You little pissers really think you can throw a scare into me? Dunbar raises his rifle and SHOOTS NUNEZ. He goes down, twitches once and lies still. Dead. West looks at Dunbar. WEST You're gonna have to do a lot better than that, son. HARDY (O.S.) How about this? And with that, Tom Hardy emerges from the brush carrying, a COMBAT KNIFE. West's eyes sparkle with recognition. WEST Didn't I kick your ass out for this drug thing fifteen years ago? Hardy just smiles. WEST Should've known you were involved in this. Come on then. Let's see you try and stick me -- Moving faster than West thought imaginable, Hardy moves and the knife FLASHES, CUTTING WEST OPEN stem to sternum. Hardy grips the older man by the shoulders, lowering him to the ground as he dies. Whispering in his ear: HARDY Stem to sternum. You taught me well, Sarge. And WEST DIES. A moment of utter silence and then VOICES FROM THE PAST begin coming back to us: STYLES (V.O.) You think you could explain all this to me? Kendall walks over to Hardy and hands him a PISTOL. HARDY (V.O.) I wouldn't know where to start. Kendall holds out his arm, gritting his teeth... HARDY (V.O.) I guess it was about one man framing another... And Hardy SHOOTS Kendall once, THROUGH THE ARM. EXT. CLEARING -- THIS MORNING Mueller and Childs lay NUNEZ's DEAD BODY out in the brush. The sound of the Helicopter approaching... TIME CUT TO: Dunbar raises his rifle and FIRES towards the tree line. Aiming at nothing. The Helicopter comes into view overhead. DUST KICKS UP around Dunbar and Kendall -- bullet hits. HARDY (V.O.) When you commit a crime you know is going to be investigated, you need a fall guy... ON STYLES' FACE -- Watching this through the windscreen. STYLES (V.O.) The one who won't talk was trading live fire with the dead one as we reached the pick-up. RACK FOCUS TO -- Hardy, concealed in the woods, FIRING at Dunbar and Kendall's feet to simulate Nunez shooting at them. Dunbar, shooting towards where Nunez's body lies. Making it look like he just killed Nunez. EXT. FORT MCKINLEY -- THIS MORNING Hardy arriving at the Fort, EMBRACING STYLES. HARDY And for that to work, you have to have a witness... PAN OVER to OSBORNE, watching. HARDY (V.O.) Someone who's not involved, who's word can't be questioned... VARIOUS SHOTS -- Of Hardy and Osborne, investigating the case, talking to Dunbar, talking to Kendall... HARDY You only let them see what you want them to see, you make them believe... INT. OFFICER'S CLUB -- EARLIER Osborne, showing Hardy the requisition forms. OSBORNE (V.O.) They believe the innocent are guilty and the guilty are innocent. EXT. FORT MCKINLEY -- EARLIER After shooting Styles, Osborne gives her story to the M.P.'s. HARDY (V.O.) And if they're asked, that's what they'll tell the world. INT. OSBORNE'S APARTMENT -- PRESENT NIGHT Osborne, watching the taped West. WEST Your greatest weapon will by your allies... INT. COFFEE ROOM -- EARLIER Hardy, taking a cigarette from Dunbar's pack. HARDY My brand. Must be my lucky day. INT. KENDALL'S HOSPITAL ROOM -- EARLIER Kendall, coughing fit. Hardy, getting him a GLASS OF WATER. WEST (V.O.) ...some of which you may have to sacrifice for the greater good. Hardy, secretly dissolving a POWDER into Kendall's water. HARDY (V.O.) We got the toxicology report... INT. STYLES' OFFICE -- EARLIER Hardy, confronting Styles in the dark. WEST (V.O.) Make no mistake, the innocent will die... Osborne, FIRING TWICE into Styles. As he hits the wall HARDY (V.O.) Next time you frame a guy, pick someone who can't defend themselves... But it will not be in vain. Sometimes, you can trick the enemy into doing your work for you... Osborne, staring down at WEST'S PISTOL. HARDY (V.O.) He still carry those guns? INT. STYLES' OFFICE -- EARLIER Earlier. Alone, Hardy plants West's pistol in Styles' desk. WEST (V.O.) ...if you engage in a clever enough subterfuge. INT. BASE PX -- BACKROOM -- EARLIER Hardy stands behind Kendall and Dunbar, overseeing them as they fill out requisition forms. Kendall signs West's signature, Dunbar signs Styles'. HARDY (V.O.) What I can't understand is why you signed these... As we move into a CLOSE UP on Hardy: OSBORNE (V.O.) You never told me why you got kicked out of... STYLES (V.O.) The army kicked you out for drugs... MUELLER AND DUNBAR (V.O.) I got a friend with an in at the PX, can hook you up... STYLES (V.O.) There's only one criminal standing in this room and it's you. INT. OSBORNE'S APARTMENT -- NIGHT Osborne, watching the tape of West's speech. WEST Which brings us to the simple goal. For the true warrior, the one and only objective is to emerge from conflict unscathed. EXT. ROADHOUSE PARKING LOT -- PRESENT NIGHT The GTO pulls into a space and Hardy and Dunbar get out. HARDY (V.O.) I promised them I'd ask you where West and the others are... DUNBAR (V.O.) Washout rejects, guys he said were "dumbfucks too stupid to know they dead"... HARDY (V.O.) He's telling the truth up to a point... They walk towards the bar's entrance. HARDY (V.O.) You can't prove anything until we find the bodies... PIKE All we gotta do is tell the story right... DUNBAR (V.O.) You haven't found any bodies yet, have you... As Hardy and Dunbar push through the doors into the bar... HARDY (V.O.) WHERE ARE THEY? INT. ROADHOUSE -- NIGHT A table of FOUR MEN look up as Hardy and Dunbar enter. Mueller, Childs, Pike, and the Motor Pool DUTY SERGEANT. All drinking beer, having a grand old time. STYLES (V.O.) Habeas Corpus -- you have to have a body to have a crime. Hardy and Dunbar smile and go to join them. INT. OSBORNE'S APARTMENT -- PRESENT NIGHT As the taped West concludes his speech. WEST Thank you. The screen cuts to STATIC. Osborne turns off the TV, extinguishing the last source of light. OVER THE DARKNESS: WEST (V.O.) You can tell a story, can't you? EXT. ROADHOUSE PARKING LOT -- NIGHT Silence. We slowly move towards Hardy's parked GTO... HARDY (V.O.) Murder is basic. Focusing on the TRUNK... HARDY (V.O.) There are no conspiracies, no grand mysteries, no evil puppet masters behind it all, pulling the strings. INT. GTO TRUNK -- NIGHT WEST'S BODY, stuffed into the trunk of Hardy's car. HARDY Everyone's capable of murder, Osborne. EXT. CLEARING -- THIS MORNING Dunbar lays the wounded Kendall down as the Helicopter carrying Styles comes in for a landing. Dunbar wipes the sweat from Kendall's brow and asks him seriously: DUNBAR Are you ready for this? ROLL CREDITS FADE OUT: THE END