Post by trey on Feb 13, 2009 13:35:10 GMT -5
I'm still getting sidetracked by school, but I keep managing. Part 8:
Fade into Alex walking up the deck to find Rashad, who is doing maintenance around the helicopter.
ALEX
Hi, I was told you…
RASHAD
Yeah, yeah. (walks over, wiping his hands on a rag) Rob Phillips, right?
ALEX
Yeah, and you’re Rashad Krimani.
RASHAD
You got it. I am the leader of our little squad. It’s me, Tariq, Eli, who was with me earlier, Vincent, he’s our kid, don’t worry he’s fine, and we may be getting another, but that depends. We don’t get the squad roster finalized until we leave the island. So, you said you don’t have much experience with like firing and flying and military stuff?
ALEX
No sir.
RASHAD
The file Bednarcyzk gave me said you were a jailbird.
ALEX
Yes sir.
RASHAD
You don’t have to call me sir, it’s fine.
ALEX
Yes sir. (smiles)
RASHAD
(doesn’t return smile) Yes, well, it’s against regulation to have you handle any firearms on our first time out. Our first mission, you’ll have to do things like fetch ammunition so we can keep firing, bring water, watch for planes. We can show you how to fly the copter on some down time, but you’ll learn that before you fire a gun. You okay with this? I’m sorry that we can’t give you a better position but with having joined less than a week ago. You know….
ALEX
No, I understand. Say, do you know when we’ll reach the island?
RASHAD
It might be tomorrow night if weather’s good. Huston said conditions have been ideal.
ALEX
Alright. (beat) Well, it was nice to meet you (extends hand).
RASHAD
(shakes hand) Yeah, it… I hope you’re where you want to be. So, get comfortable with everyone and I’ll see you tomorrow night.
Scene fades out. Fades into
EXT – BOAT DECK – SUNSET
Tariq, Vincent and Alex are lounging on the deck of the boat. [ad-libbed ‘casual’ dialogue. Or we’ll write it later]
The sight of a large island appears on the distance. Some helicopters can be seen in the distance hovering around it. In the middle, past a semi-thick barrier of trees, some large buildings can be viewed. On the beaches in front, some armed men with jeeps stand still while behind them, past the trees, the bustle of people and machinery is seen. Alex looks in constrained awe.
VINCENT
Awright, awright.
HUSTON (over loudspeaker)
We’ll be arriving in an hour! Don’t pack up more than two days worth of belongings! The boat will be back by then after some routine searches.
TARIQ
(turns to Alex) This security getting on your nerves yet there Robby?
ALEX
Eh, what can you do…. (turns to see Rashad and Eli making their way towards them)
RASHAD
(to Alex) You ready?
CUT TO
ISLAND - NIGHT
The five men walking through a well-lit street, filled with men and women of all ages and ethnicities, carrying on various activities (walking, conversing, etc) in an unhurried, friendly manner. Alex looks up and around at the few buildings around (some are hangers for helicopters, others can be seen housing surpluses of weaponry) and various banners written in various languages (all will say different messages, work on that later). It looks almost like a small city, complete with paved roads, jeeps driving around, and proprietors dotted along the area. (However, men holding weapons in plain sight are in every frame of the city)
ALEX
(whispering to Tariq) Good Lord…… how did all this… (waves arms in outward fashion)
TARIQ
fuck knows. Well, I mean, this certainly wasn’t built in a month. Or hell, even a decade.
RASHAD
Well he did need to find this uncovered island first. But it took The Humanitarian nearly 25 years to build all of this. Mostly Arthur McDermott’s donations. (Begins to drift away from Vincent, Tariq and Alex. Eli follows.)
VINCENT
C’mon, I gotta pick up some cigarettes.
TARIQ
fuck no, I’m not having you blow that shit in my face all week. Rob, you smoke?
ALEX
Nah….
TARIQ
(claps Alex on the back) Good man.
A large, fairly new looking coliseum-like structure can be seen spotted in the distance in front of the men.
TARIQ
(pointing at it) Now see there, tonight, is where we’ll all find out what we have to do. Don’t worry. It’ll all make sense then, ‘cause I know we’ve been keeping ya in the dark for too long. (gives assuring look at Alex)
VINCENT
Well, whadya think, another Monica K type situation?
TARIQ
Word is it might be bigger than that.
VINCENT
Such as….. ?
TARIQ
I dunno, but we’re gonna get a big one soon.
Alex is looking around at all the buildings in an awe.
ALEX
Any idea where this place is?
TARIQ
Ummm…. Between California and Japan? (laughs vigorously) Go ask Huston, I have no fucking clue where most of this is or where it came from, and I’ve been here for damn near three years!
VINCENT
So yeah, the Atlantic.
TARIQ
Pacific, you dumbfuck.
Alex looks at the other two a bit intensely. The silence goes on for a bit too long.
TARIQ
So, anybody up for some food? I could go for some curry chicken, that is if Coolidge hasn’t been promoted.
The others give their consent. The scene fades into
EXT – COLISEUM – NIGHT (1 AM)
Tariq, Alex, and Vincent making their way through a large crowd towards the coliseum. It’s a packed crowd, but not unmoving as the crowd seems eager to get in. Tariq and Vincent are waving and shaking hands with various friends and acquaintances as Alex leads in front, staring at the enormous sight. When they make it in, they see the sight of a good three thousand people all around the inside of the coliseum.
VINCENT
C’mon, they’re some seats over there (points to a direction on a much farther side).
The three amble over and Alex glances over at the platform in the middle. Skinner and two other men are standing in the center while various armed guards flank them. One of them is a large, statue-esque man in a tattered general’s uniform, the other a paunchy, though gaunt-faced man with white-blonde hair.
ALEX
Hey Tariq, should I have any idea who those two guys are (points in direction).
TARIQ
Who, the big guy and the German guy? (Alex nods) The big guy is Tunde, he was a general in the Tanzania People’s Defense Force, but now commands any of our armed troops. Not us though, since we’ll be in the helicopters, that’s more a few dozen commanders.
VINCENT
Scary Blonde Dude is Ammer. He’s known The Humanitarian the longest and he and Arthur McDermott, our “sponsor”, are probably the only one’s that know Big H’s true identity. Apparently they served jail time in the 70’s for radical protests, that sort of stuff. He’s usually the one who speaks for him although this is a special occasion. Maybe he’s here for crowd control. (grins) You wouldn’t want to piss him off, lemme tell ya.
ALEX
Have you ever met The Humanitarian before?
TARIQ
You mean see him? Nobody meets with him, there’s too much risk that his cover will be blown. But I mean, he’s just a guy like us. With a lot of ideas. He’s not some all-seeing, all knowing god or deity, he just needs to make sure he can keep doing what he’s doing, unabated.
Fade into Alex walking up the deck to find Rashad, who is doing maintenance around the helicopter.
ALEX
Hi, I was told you…
RASHAD
Yeah, yeah. (walks over, wiping his hands on a rag) Rob Phillips, right?
ALEX
Yeah, and you’re Rashad Krimani.
RASHAD
You got it. I am the leader of our little squad. It’s me, Tariq, Eli, who was with me earlier, Vincent, he’s our kid, don’t worry he’s fine, and we may be getting another, but that depends. We don’t get the squad roster finalized until we leave the island. So, you said you don’t have much experience with like firing and flying and military stuff?
ALEX
No sir.
RASHAD
The file Bednarcyzk gave me said you were a jailbird.
ALEX
Yes sir.
RASHAD
You don’t have to call me sir, it’s fine.
ALEX
Yes sir. (smiles)
RASHAD
(doesn’t return smile) Yes, well, it’s against regulation to have you handle any firearms on our first time out. Our first mission, you’ll have to do things like fetch ammunition so we can keep firing, bring water, watch for planes. We can show you how to fly the copter on some down time, but you’ll learn that before you fire a gun. You okay with this? I’m sorry that we can’t give you a better position but with having joined less than a week ago. You know….
ALEX
No, I understand. Say, do you know when we’ll reach the island?
RASHAD
It might be tomorrow night if weather’s good. Huston said conditions have been ideal.
ALEX
Alright. (beat) Well, it was nice to meet you (extends hand).
RASHAD
(shakes hand) Yeah, it… I hope you’re where you want to be. So, get comfortable with everyone and I’ll see you tomorrow night.
Scene fades out. Fades into
EXT – BOAT DECK – SUNSET
Tariq, Vincent and Alex are lounging on the deck of the boat. [ad-libbed ‘casual’ dialogue. Or we’ll write it later]
The sight of a large island appears on the distance. Some helicopters can be seen in the distance hovering around it. In the middle, past a semi-thick barrier of trees, some large buildings can be viewed. On the beaches in front, some armed men with jeeps stand still while behind them, past the trees, the bustle of people and machinery is seen. Alex looks in constrained awe.
VINCENT
Awright, awright.
HUSTON (over loudspeaker)
We’ll be arriving in an hour! Don’t pack up more than two days worth of belongings! The boat will be back by then after some routine searches.
TARIQ
(turns to Alex) This security getting on your nerves yet there Robby?
ALEX
Eh, what can you do…. (turns to see Rashad and Eli making their way towards them)
RASHAD
(to Alex) You ready?
CUT TO
ISLAND - NIGHT
The five men walking through a well-lit street, filled with men and women of all ages and ethnicities, carrying on various activities (walking, conversing, etc) in an unhurried, friendly manner. Alex looks up and around at the few buildings around (some are hangers for helicopters, others can be seen housing surpluses of weaponry) and various banners written in various languages (all will say different messages, work on that later). It looks almost like a small city, complete with paved roads, jeeps driving around, and proprietors dotted along the area. (However, men holding weapons in plain sight are in every frame of the city)
ALEX
(whispering to Tariq) Good Lord…… how did all this… (waves arms in outward fashion)
TARIQ
fuck knows. Well, I mean, this certainly wasn’t built in a month. Or hell, even a decade.
RASHAD
Well he did need to find this uncovered island first. But it took The Humanitarian nearly 25 years to build all of this. Mostly Arthur McDermott’s donations. (Begins to drift away from Vincent, Tariq and Alex. Eli follows.)
VINCENT
C’mon, I gotta pick up some cigarettes.
TARIQ
fuck no, I’m not having you blow that shit in my face all week. Rob, you smoke?
ALEX
Nah….
TARIQ
(claps Alex on the back) Good man.
A large, fairly new looking coliseum-like structure can be seen spotted in the distance in front of the men.
TARIQ
(pointing at it) Now see there, tonight, is where we’ll all find out what we have to do. Don’t worry. It’ll all make sense then, ‘cause I know we’ve been keeping ya in the dark for too long. (gives assuring look at Alex)
VINCENT
Well, whadya think, another Monica K type situation?
TARIQ
Word is it might be bigger than that.
VINCENT
Such as….. ?
TARIQ
I dunno, but we’re gonna get a big one soon.
Alex is looking around at all the buildings in an awe.
ALEX
Any idea where this place is?
TARIQ
Ummm…. Between California and Japan? (laughs vigorously) Go ask Huston, I have no fucking clue where most of this is or where it came from, and I’ve been here for damn near three years!
VINCENT
So yeah, the Atlantic.
TARIQ
Pacific, you dumbfuck.
Alex looks at the other two a bit intensely. The silence goes on for a bit too long.
TARIQ
So, anybody up for some food? I could go for some curry chicken, that is if Coolidge hasn’t been promoted.
The others give their consent. The scene fades into
EXT – COLISEUM – NIGHT (1 AM)
Tariq, Alex, and Vincent making their way through a large crowd towards the coliseum. It’s a packed crowd, but not unmoving as the crowd seems eager to get in. Tariq and Vincent are waving and shaking hands with various friends and acquaintances as Alex leads in front, staring at the enormous sight. When they make it in, they see the sight of a good three thousand people all around the inside of the coliseum.
VINCENT
C’mon, they’re some seats over there (points to a direction on a much farther side).
The three amble over and Alex glances over at the platform in the middle. Skinner and two other men are standing in the center while various armed guards flank them. One of them is a large, statue-esque man in a tattered general’s uniform, the other a paunchy, though gaunt-faced man with white-blonde hair.
ALEX
Hey Tariq, should I have any idea who those two guys are (points in direction).
TARIQ
Who, the big guy and the German guy? (Alex nods) The big guy is Tunde, he was a general in the Tanzania People’s Defense Force, but now commands any of our armed troops. Not us though, since we’ll be in the helicopters, that’s more a few dozen commanders.
VINCENT
Scary Blonde Dude is Ammer. He’s known The Humanitarian the longest and he and Arthur McDermott, our “sponsor”, are probably the only one’s that know Big H’s true identity. Apparently they served jail time in the 70’s for radical protests, that sort of stuff. He’s usually the one who speaks for him although this is a special occasion. Maybe he’s here for crowd control. (grins) You wouldn’t want to piss him off, lemme tell ya.
ALEX
Have you ever met The Humanitarian before?
TARIQ
You mean see him? Nobody meets with him, there’s too much risk that his cover will be blown. But I mean, he’s just a guy like us. With a lot of ideas. He’s not some all-seeing, all knowing god or deity, he just needs to make sure he can keep doing what he’s doing, unabated.