EPISODE 1x05 - A BURNING DOG
[VO – all on radio]
GODFATHER
Quizmaster, this is Godfather. I have you loud and clear.
QUIZMASTER
Stand by for tasking. Your mission is to conduct this feint in force, uncover
enemy positions prior to the main force's arrival. How copy?
GODFATHER
Roger. Solid copy on all.
[00:00:26]
Daytime. Men from Bravo are observing a village.
COLBERT
[looking through binoculars] One, two, three, four little people outside.
ESPERA
Plus the three old ladies.
HASSER
Look, Gabe, Hajji soccer.
GARZA
Tough little Hajji. My grandma used to beat me with a 2x4.
HASSER
Your grandma mean like that, Gabe?
GARZA
[OS] No, man. My grandma hit me because she loved me and she wanted me to turn
out good.
COLBERT
[into radio] Hitman Two, this is Two One. We've had eyes on the village for over
one hour now. There are seven women and children, no adult males. No sign of the
men who fired those mortars. How copy?
FICK
[on radio] This is Hitman Two. Solid copy.
Colbert turns to Person, who is heating a tin can.
COLBERT
Ray, what the fuck is that smell?
PERSON
MRE cookies. What I did was I saved up all those creamer packets and all the
sugars, and I mixed in peanut butter until I sort of made this-
COLBERT
Don't set your face on fire again.
PERSON
Word to the motherfuckin' street, yo! I was not the one who set my face on fire.
I was the fuckin' victim and you know it.
WRIGHT
[enters scene from behind the four men] Sergeant Colbert, I was thinking...
those trees over there behind us, maybe the guys who fired at us were in them.
COLBERT
Much as I appreciate Rolling Stone's tactical input, I'm confident in the birds.
WRIGHT
Birds?
GARZA
Anything moves in those trees, birds don't sing.
Colbert continues sketching the village.
GARZA
[OS] Sergeant Espera?
ESPERA
[OS] Yeah?
GARZA
[OS] Do you have any more of that Tinaction shit?
ESPERA
[OS] Tinactin?
GARZA
Yeah, 'cause the sting from my...
The hamlet they are watching is bombed from the air.
PERSON
[OS] Jesus Christ!
Bryan runs up.
GARZA
Did we call it, Sergeant?
COLBERT
I, uh .... someone called it.
BRYAN
Fucking Godfather called it. 1,000-pounder from a Navy F-18.
ESPERA
God damn it.
COLBERT
We don't have the full picture.
BRYAN
It was on fucking battalion TAC.
COLBERT
We had mortars fire at us from somewhere near that hamlet. Maybe...Maybe inside.
GARZA
The bad guys shoot and scoot. By the time we hit back they're gone.
COLBERT
I am not the one who asked the enemy to mix in with the civilian populace and
use them as cover to attack us.
FICK
[on radio] This is Hitman Two. RTB. Over.
COLBERT
[into radio] Roger. [to others] We're moving out.
Garza, Hasser, and Espera get up and begin walking away.
HASSER
Man, we keep making the same fucking mistakes.
PERSON
My fucking cookies got schwacked.
Espera glares at him.
PERSON
What the fuck is his problem?
Colbert remains standing, watching the residual smoke from the bombing.
COLBERT
Come on, Ray. We're Oscar Mike.
[00:03.42]
Daytime. A small village.
MCGRAW
[OS] Someone around here is hiding a mortar team! I warn you again, we will
destroy your village not only if you yourself are hostile, but if you are
harboring any enemy elements!
IRAQI VILLAGER
[replies in Arabic]
Fick, Meesh, and Wynn walk up to where McGraw is interrogating a villager.
MCGRAW
Is he threatening me?
FICK
[to Meesh] Let me guess, he's grateful to be liberated and pleased to cooperate.
MCGRAW [OS]
These people are worse than the goddamn VC!
IRAQI VILLAGER
[speaks in Arabic]
Kocher walks over and gives the Iraqi villager some cigarettes.
FICK
Dave, we've got Meesh.
MCGRAW
Not that we're doing any better than the French in Indochina. I mean, we're
making every French mistake, right?
IRAQI VILLAGER
[speaks in Arabic, and points in a direction to Meesh]
MEESH
This dude has some cool shit. Give me the map board.
MARINE
[OS] Moreno, how much longer we gonna be here?
IRAQI VILLAGER
[more Arabic, and gestures to a point on the map]
MEESH
He said the men came from outside, not from his village.
FICK
How many men?
MEESH
He used a word that means a lot of dudes. And he says they're planning to ambush
us once we cross the bridge. Said there are men on the east side, north side,
and the west side.
IRAQI VILLAGER
[Arabic]
MEESH
And the men on the east side, they got the big guns.
[00:05:06]
Bravo Two One are stationary in their Humvee.
SCHWETJE
[on radio] All Hitman Victors, this is Hitman. Hitman Three is debriefing
locals. Hold your positions.
TROMBLEY
Hey, Person. Didn't your mom put your picture up on the Wal-Mart wall of heroes?
PERSON
Yep. My grandma did when I went to Afghanistan. I'm on the Nevada, Missouri
Wal-Mart wall of heroes. Even got my dress blues on.
COLBERT
If my mother ever distributed my likeness without written authorization, I would
disown her.
PERSON
Technically speaking, Brad, but didn't your biological parents disown you when
they put you up for adoption?
COLBERT
Point, Ray. I was one of those unfortunates adopted by upper-middle-class
professionals and nurtured in an environment of learning, art, and a
socio-religious culture steeped in more than two thousand years of Talmudic
tradition. Not everyone is lucky enough to have been raised in a Whiskey Tango
trailer park by a bowlegged female whose sole qualification for motherhood is a
womb that happened to catch a sperm of a passing truck driver.
Colbert gets out of the Humvee with some humrats.
PERSON
At least my mom took me to Nascar.
TROMBLEY
[OS] Your dad's a truck driver?
Colbert walks over to Espera’s vehicle.
COLBERT
You okay?
ESPERA
It's all good, brother.
COLBERT
[to Iraqi villagers in the distance] Hello. [waving] As-salāmu `alaykum. [to
Espera] That doesn't get you, Poke?
Colbert beings walking towards the Iraqi villager’s home with the humrats,
stopping about halfway there. He kneels and takes off his Kevelar. Espera
follows behind him. Two Iraqi girls run up to them.
COLBERT
[handing the humrats to Espera] Come on, it'll be good for you.
COLBERT
Donee.
Espera kneels next to Colbert.
ESPERA
As-salāmu `alaykum. Here. Here you go.
Espera hands humrats to two young Iraqi girls, who run off giggling.
COLBERT
See? Don't you feel better?
ESPERA
Fuck it, dawg. You think giving them some rice and a chocolate bar is gonna fix
things?
Colbert and Espera re-don their Kevlar and get up.
Fick, Wynn and Meesh approach Colbert.
FICK
Change of plan. We have a village elder here providing info on a possible ambush
on the road ahead.
COLBERT
Well, let me guess, sir. The plan is for us to drive into it and draw fire.
FICK
You'll be happy to know there is no plan for this. Godfather's pulling us back.
The RCT is pushing up some LAVs to clear out the ambush. We're staying in a wadi
south of the bridge.
Fick, Wynn, and Meesh walk away. Colbert turns to look back at Espera who is
still standing, watching the Iraqi home.
[00:08:35]
LAVs drive past. Bravo is parked in a field.
MARINES
[cheering at passing LAVS] Get some! Yeah! Get some! Whoa!
Patrick and Kocher converse around the hood of a Humvee.
PATRICK
This is how this ought to be fought. We feel our way up these back roads,
generate intelligence, and they send some real ass in to deal with it.
KOCHER
You really believe pulling us back from one ambush represents a change in
strategy?
PATRICK
Well, there's no reason the battalion can't accidentally make a smart decision
now and then. And even a broke-ass clock is right twice a day.
Colbert approaches.
COLBERT
What's this I'm hearing about Casey Kasem going around in front of E-3s and 2s,
calling Lieutenant Fick a coward?
Patrick nods.
KOCHER
Yeah.
COLBERT
Jesus fucking Christ.
PATRICK
Well, at least we ain't in the position of having to babysit our platoon
commander.
COLBERT
I heard back in the rear once they had a plan to push Navy psychiatrists forward
to combat units. Yeah, I scoffed then, but if ever there was a candidate to be
locked up in the rubber tent, we know who he is.
PATRICK
Can you imagine what the doctors would make of Ray Person?
COLBERT
Need I remind you he is the best damn RTO in the business? As long as you keep
him away from your uglier daughters and your smaller livestock. No. The
individual who needs his head examined is the man responsible for taking
arguably the finest damn independent recon operators of any military in the
world, and dropping us in Humvee platoons to lead a parade of POGs, officers,
and heavily-armed subhuman morons like Casey Kasem across Mesopotamia. How much
does Uncle Sam spend on us? Jump school, dive school, mountain warfare, ranger
school, SERE. That's a $1,000,000 on average to train up 0321s like us. And here
we are, perfectly-tuned Ferraris in a demolition derby.
KOCHER
It sure isn't Afghanistan. Any of us had been running our teams in that AO, we
sure as shit wouldn't have dropped a bomb on that village like they did this
morning.
COLBERT
Gentlemen, [holding up a Gatorade bottle] to Afghanistan.
Kocher, Patrick, and Colbert tap their drinks together in a toast.
[00:11:00]
Members of Bravo Company are sitting out in the field while Reyes makes some
coffee.
HOLSEY
[OS] In Somalia we were still able to target these legit motherfuckers...
REYES
Hold what you got, warriors. November Juliet's coming around.
CHAFFIN
Better watch your face, Ray. Rudy's got the espresso pot brewing.
Reyes walks up, pouring coffee in everyone’s cup.
PERSON
Yeah, it's obvious I was wrong about invading Iraq for NAMBLA. It turns out
we're actually here to set up a forward Starbucks. I mean, Christ, look, we've
already inserted our Fruity Barista. Thank you very much. Now all we need is
some like, really shitty fucking music playing, like Norah Jones, a couple of
high-school girls getting super fat on iced lattes, a homeless guy trying to
scam the key to the restroom, and some faggot writing his novel on a laptop.
HOLSEY
Gunny, this must steam Godfather, letting other guys go into an ambush instead
of us.
WYNN
You know, I've never understood what the whole rush was about in the first
place. I mean, there is no doubt America is gonna beat Saddam's military. So why
rush this shit?
CHAFFIN
Yo, Ray, remember that guy that got his dick cut off and sewed back on?
PERSON
Yeah. John Wayne Bobbit.
HOLSEY
He's a former Marine.
CHAFFIN
What other famous Marines were there?
PERSON
Lee Harvey Oswald, uh, that old children's television show host Captain
Kangaroo, he was one; and uh, the guy who climbed the University of Texas clock
tower and shot 16 people.
CHAFFIN
No presidents?
PERSON
Closest we got was Oswald.
WRIGHT
I met John Wayne Bobbit.
CHAFFIN
Get the fuck out of here.
WRIGHT
I interviewed him when he was trying to be a porn star.
CHAFFIN
Oh, nice!
WRIGHT
He did this movie where he fucked a midget.
The men laugh.
WYNN
A Marine will fuck anything.
WRIGHT
She was a nice girl, seriously.
REYES
[hands Wynn a cup of coffee] Here you go, Gunny.
WYNN
Thank you, Rudy.
Patrick walks up.
PERSON
Oh no, looks like we're in for a cold night by the way that Zoolander's nipples
are twisted.
PATRICK
[OS] Thanks, Rude.
REYES
Let me hook you up, my backwoods brother. Pappy. [shaving Patrick’s chin] I
always gotta fix you up, Pap. Hey, looks like you've got some chafing here from
your SAPI plate. I've got some emollients in the Humvee. I'll get the
Neutrogena. Am I pushing you, my man? Am I going too far? Pappy, you know I love
you, brother.
PERSON
Rudy, you motherfucker, hook me up with some of that sweet November Juliet.
REYES
Roger that.
WRIGHT
Why November Juliet?
PERSON
It's like, uh, military phonetic alphabet. You know, like, like uh, Whiskey
Tango for white trash.
WRIGHT
Yeah, right, I get that. But what does November Juliet stand for?
HOLSEY
Nigger juice.
CHAFFIN
Beautiful. [snorts]
The men laugh.
LAVs roll by, bearing wounded Marines.
CHAFFIN
Jesus Christ, dude.
[00:13:51]
Briefing at the battalion tent.
FERRANDO
Gentlemen, as you can see... [loud explosions nearby] I'm told by the CG that
the reason for our chow shortage is that 95% of the One Mar Div supply train in
central Iraq is being allocated to haul artillery rounds to the front. For us
tonight, gentlemen, this is good news. We are on a new map sheet, the last for
Phase Three of our mission. I can reveal to you tonight that the CG's objective
since pushing through Nasiriyah has been this: Al Kut. Here, to the east of
Baghdad, Al Kut holds the only major bridge crossing the Tigris. Since the
inception of Phase One, CENTCOM has felt the need to control this eastern route
to Baghdad. Phase Four, the assault on Baghdad, cannot begin until Marines own
Al Kut and its bridge. Three words: tempo, tempo, tempo. The swiftness of our
advance has succeeded in outpacing the Iraqi military's efforts to organize
large-scale resistance. Tonight, Ferrando expects our tempo to increase. This
afternoon, Bravo company exploited the willingness of locals to provide
intelligence regarding an enemy ambush. That was good work. No doubt many of you
were disappointed when division sent in the RCT's light armored units to clean
them out. By all rights, that should have been our tasker. But it turns out the
CG hasn't forgotten about us. We have reports that increasing numbers of
paramilitary forces are moving into this area south of Al Kut. Tomorrow morning,
the RCT will begin its final push to Al Kut on the east bank of the canal. Our
push begins tonight. We are to advance along the western side of the canal
starting at approximately 2300 hours local time. There's a town here,
Muwaffaqiyah. It's about four klicks north of our current position. Soon as we
pass Muwaffaqiyah, we've got 30 klicks of highway to Al Kut. This, gentlemen, is
our happy hunting ground. CG has given us free rein to initiate contact all
along this MSR. There's not a Marine on the planet who wouldn't want to be in
your shoes tonight, gentlemen.
Ferrando nods to dismiss the men.
SCHWETJE
Nate. Quick word, please? Looks like we're the quarterback again. Look, Nate, as
far as executing this play, are we gonna have any...uh.
FICK
Personal issues, skipper? Not on my part, sir.
Griego walks up.
FICK
I do however have an issue with unprofessional conduct of senior enlisted
personnel in this company.
GRIEGO
Nate, I-
FICK
Gunnery Sergeant, you do not fucking come up on a discussion between the Captain
and myself and speak unless you are spoken to. And nobody fucking spoke to you.
GRIEGO
Aye aye, Lieutenant.
FICK
Sir, I want to be certain that senior enlisted personnel are not speaking for
you when airing derogatory opinions about the command of my platoon. If such
opinions are yours, then I would ask that you share them directly with me in
private.
SCHWETJIE
Opinions? [looking to Griego] Anyone who says I have opinions like you said,
Nate, he's not on my team.
FICK
Very good, sir.
[00:18:11]
Team one Humvee. Hasser is working on his weapon.
HASSER
Without the right lubricant, it's the same thing again and again. The sucker
just jams.
COLBERT
We just have to accept that the only dependable weapon you have up there is your
SAW.
Person approaches.
PERSON
Hey hey hey! You guys, I just did a really dirty thing. You know that picture of
Rolling Stone's girlfriend?
COLBERT
I think it's safe to say we all know her intimately at this point.
PERSON
Well, I got it back from Bravo Three and I swear to God, I was gonna give it
back to him. But I ran into Wasik on the way over here. I traded that bitch for
some PEC-2 batteries!
COLBERT
Ray, you pimped her out.
PERSON
She is a dirty little hoochie, isn't she?
COLBERT
[grins] Got any for the thermals?
PERSON
Jesus, dude. It's a picture of a reporter's girlfriend, not of J. Lo's
cum-dripping twat.
COLBERT
Yeah, you're right. Walt, get some sleep.
HASSER
I'm gonna give this another try, Brad. You get some sleep.
COLBERT
Thanks, Walt.
[00:19:16]
Night time.
Stafford walks towards the battalion carrying a squirming bag. Christeson stands
watch on a Humvee.
CHRISTESON
What's the challenge and pass?
STAFFORD
Blue diamond, blue diamond, asshole!
CHRISTESON
Q-Tip, what the fuck?
STAFFORD
[holding up the bag] I had to get medieval on his ass.
CHRISTESON
What is it?
STAFFORD
Don't know. It's got fur, four legs, little bit o' meat…
Victor one. Everyone is sleeping apart from Person.
WYNN
[on radio] All Victors, have team leaders rally up on Hitman Two's Victor. Over.
PERSON
[into radio] Yeah, copy that.
PERSON
Brad. [walking over to Colbert, nudging Colbert with his foot] Brad, get up.
COLBERT
56 minutes. I've been asleep for 56 minutes.
PERSON
Team leader meeting.
Colbert gets up.
COLBERT
56 minutes and just one dream.
PERSON
At least you got to dream.
COLBERT
I dreamt I was in Iraq.
PERSON
Were you naked?
Outside Bravo Two command vehicle, the team leaders gather around Fick.
FICK
North of our position is the Wild West. We all know we've killed a lot of bad
guys already.
ESPERA
Sure. Must be some bad guys in all those women and children we've been stacking
along the roads.
FICK
Those who remain are going to take their last stand here.
Colbert walks up. Fick nods at him in greeting.
FICK
Bad news is we don't sleep tonight. Good news is, we get to kill bad guys. In
six zero mikes, Bravo Company and Charlie Company are maneuvering onto the
western side of this canal. Our orders are to set up positions as we see fit
along the MSR and hunt for paramilitaries operating in the AO. Our goal is to
terrorize the Fedayeen, and this platoon will be on point.
LOVELL
Better us than Captain America.
FICK
The point is we are taking the initiative. And they're letting us do it at night
when we have the advantage.
COLBERT
Sir, need I remind you a lot of that advantage resides in our thermals, and we
don't have a single working set in the entire platoon?
FICK
Brad, we still have our NVGs, PEC-4s and 17-Bravos.
COLBERT
Yes, sir.
PATRICK
Sir, the regiment's staying on the eastern side of the canal?
FICK
Affirmative.
PATRICK
And we got Alpha and H&S staying behind?
FICK
We're going lean. We're hunters tonight.
PATRICK
I mean that's all good, sir, but how're we supposed to get around this bridge
and the town up to where the LAVs was fighting?
FICK
We're not going around it. Brad, your team will be leading us across it.
COLBERT
Sir, is my team to do a foot patrol first to get eyes on the bridge? Make sure
that the enemy ambush in place has in fact been eliminated?
FICK
Negative, Brad.
BRYAN
Reconnaissance, sir. Isn't that what reconnaissance Marines are supposed to do?
FICK
Our timetable does not allow for a foot patrol. The chances of a serious threat
are extremely low. We've been hitting those ambush points hard all evening.
PATRICK
Sir, if the LAVs are coming back with casualties, how's a Humvee supposed-
FICK
Frankly, gentlemen, I'm not hearing the aggressiveness I'd like. Prepare your
teams to step off.
COLBERT
Yes, sir.
Fick and Wynn move away.
PATRICK
The people running this war can fuck things up all they want. And as long as we
keep getting lucky and making it through alive, they'll just keep repeating the
same mistakes.
The camera pans to Fick and Wynn.
COLBERT
[OS] Prep your mags! We're in for a fight tonight.
WYNN
Nate.
ESPERA
[OS] Check the batteries on the NVGs?
FICK
Our orders are clear. I would not be helping this platoon by questioning him or
hesitating in any way. The CO reached out to me. I have to honor that, right?
PATRICK
[OS] Move the..Make sure it’s condition one.
GARZA
[OS] Condition one on the .50.
REYES
[OS] Brother, we're goin' hunting.
[00:23:38]
Bravo are preparing to depart.
MARINE
[OS] Hey, come on, you guys… let's go!
HASSER
[OS] Trombley, hand me another can of ammo!
MARINE
[OS] Hurry up and grab your gear. Let's fucking go! Hey, you, get the fuck up!
Go!
ESPERA
[OS] Hey, yo, Person, I changed the batteries in the NVG's.
COLBERT
What's our TAD with our Cobra escorts?
PERSON
None. We don't have comms.
COLBERT
Why not?
PERSON
That would be too easy. I don't know. No one's rogering up on the TADs.
COLBERT
[turns to Wright] Hey. This is going to be a short mission, so um, why don't you
stay back here with headquarters?
WRIGHT
…Okay.
COLBERT
Okay.
Wright moves to get out of the Humvee, but Espera closes the door.
ESPERA
No, no, no, no, no. Reporter ain't gonna leave, Brad. He skips town on us now,
he might change our luck, and that could adversely affect our ability to survive
and complete this mission.
WRIGHT
Are you kidding?
ESPERA
You don't want to make our luck adverse and all, do you, dawg?
WRIGHT
No.
COLBERT
Okay. Poke, make sure your team watches our Mark-19. If we're down, I want Garza
to pick up the slack with your .50.
ESPERA
Roger that. See you on the other side, sucka.
COLBERT
Turn it over, Ray. Trombley, stow this.
PERSON
[sings] On the road again
Like a band of gypsies we go down this highway
We're the best of friends...
COLBERT
Hey. Hey!
PERSON
Sorry, dude.
COLBERT
Pass me some of your Ripped Fuel. And I fucking mean it about the country music.
PERSON
You know Brad, you're right. Now isn't an appropriate time for country music. I
was thinking a little more old-school R&B. Because look, I'm Stevie Wonder,
blind as a motherfucker in my piece-of-shit NVGs. [sings] La la la la la lala.
FICK
[on radio] All Hitman Two Victors, this is Two Actual. We are Oscar Mike.
COLBERT
All right, kids, let's make some money.
Bravo move out.
FICK
[on radio] All Hitman Two Victors, this is Hitman Two. Increase dispersion.
Break. Low illume is restricting our vis on the NVGs, over.
LOVELL
[on radio] Hitman Two, this is Hitman Two Three. Roger.
ESPERA
[on radio] Hitman Two, this is Hitman Two One Bravo. Roger that.
PATRICK
[on radio] Hitman Two, this is Hitman Two Two. Solid.
COLBERT
We got the bridge four klicks ahead to the west. There will be a right turn
toward the bridge abutment.
PERSON
Yeah, roger that. Brad, is that a guardrail on this side of the road?
COLBERT
[looking through his scope] It's the shoulder. It slopes. I know you've got no
depth perception in those NVGs, but use some common fucking sense in your
situational awareness.
PERSON
It's the way that the fucking ambient light is slanting in. I can't tell if the
dark areas are ditches or walls.
COLBERT
[into radio] Two One Bravo, this is Two One Alpha. Someone on your victor
appears to have his IR designator on.
ESPERA
[into radio] Two One Alpha. Yeah, it's me, dawg. [on radio] I got a foot-mobile,
possible Tango, about one o'clock, 200 meters out, crouched on a berm, over.
COLBERT
[into radio] Copy that. [scopes the potential target] Two One Bravo, that is a
trash bag caught on some kind of scrub brush.
WRIGHT
What's going on?
COLBERT
Nothing. It's our IR lasers. You can't see them without NVGs.
TROMBLEY
I don't even have a plastic bag to shoot.
PERSON
Oh, now remember, James, once you fire a bullet, you can't take it back.
Helicopters can be heard overhead. There are explosions directly in front of
them.
PERSON
God damn it!
COLBERT
[into radio] Two Actual, this is Two One. Interrogative, do we have any idea
what those Cobras are shooting at?
FICK
[on radio] Negative, Two One. We have no comms with the Cobras, over.
Explosions up ahead.
PERSON
Fuck!
COLBERT
Why are we slowing, Ray?
PERSON
My NVGs keep going off. It's from the fucking flashes from the rockets keep
washing them out, and I can't see shit.
COLBERT
[into radio] Two Actual, interrogative. Are we to continue forward into area
being lit by those Cobras?
FICK
[on radio] Two One, maintain direction and speed. Over.
COLBERT
[into radio] Roger that.
FICK
[on radio] Cobras are prepping the east side of the river, over.
COLBERT
[OS] Hold your sectors!
The men are showered with shell casings.
HASSER
Shit!
WRIGHT
Fuck!
MARINE
[OS] Ow.
LOVELL
[OS] Holsey, sweep that area with your IR.
HASSER
Shit!
COLBERT
You all right, Walt?
HASSER
Nothing. Shell cases hit me.
Bravo approach the bridge.
COLBERT
Why are we turning, Ray?
PERSON
There was a ditch or something in the road. Hey, something's blocking the
bridge.
COLBERT
You see it, Walt?
HASSER
Yeah, it's like a Connex box in the middle of the road.
COLBERT
[on radio] All Hitman Two Victors, be advised, there is an obstacle in front of
the bridge. We cannot continue forward.
FICK
[on radio] Hitman Two One, is there any way around it?
COLBERT
[on radio] Negative, Hitman Two. We need to peel. [to his team] Ray, I need us
to egress immediately. We're in a kill zone here.
PERSON
Walt, can you see the ditch that I just drove past?
HASSER
Yeah it ain't a ditch. It's like a drainpipe that's been drug on the road.
COLBERT
You have to make a three-point turn here. Turn around.
TROMBLEY
I got trees on my left, maybe five meters off the road.
PERSON
Fuck! Hey, Brad, Espera's vehicle is in front of us. We're fucking boxed in!
TROMBLEY
I don't got nobody out here.
HASSER
I got nothing.
PERSON
[on radio] Two One Bravo, this is Two One Alpha. We need you to turn around,
over.
LEON
[on radio] Two One Alpha, this is Two One Bravo. Two Two is blocking us. Over.
Colbert sings under his breath.
FICK
[on radio] Hitman Two Three, this is Hitman Two. We need you to turn around.
You're boxing the platoon in. How copy?
BABPTISTA
[on radio] Hitman Two, this is Hitman Two Three. We hung up on a pipe.
FICK
[on radio] Hitman Two Three, what's the sitrep on the wire?
COLBERT
There are men in the trees.
COLBERT
Contact right!
MARINE
[OS] Contact right!
TROMBLEY
[OS] Contact, three o'clock!
MARINE
[OS] Go go!
MARINE
[OS] Dismount, 12 o'clock!
MARINE
[OS] Suppress him with that SAW!
MARINE
[OS] I got him!
MARINE
[on radio] Two One victor, this is Two Two Victor. We're gonna dismount our
vehicle now.
MARINE
[OS] Over on the right!
MARINE
[OS] Three o'clock. Taking fire!
MARINE
[OS] Ammo!
MARINE
[on radio] Two Three, Two Two, get up here!
FICK
[OS] Stafford, to our three!
JACKS
[OS] Incoming!
TROMBLEY
Foot mobiles, left!
COLBERT
Ray, how's our progress egressing?
PERSON
[into radio] All Hitman Victors, this is Two One. Is it at all possible for any
of you to back up?
BAPTISTA
[on radio] Hitman Two Tree… [continues in Portugese]
PERSON
God damn Baptista! How the fuck would he like it if I joined the Brazilian
Marines and only spoke English?
HASSER
[OS] Shift fire!
GARZA
[OS] He's on the works!
STAFFORD
[OS] Watch your four o'clock! Watch your four o'clock!
Person gets out of the Humvee and shouts. There is constant radio chatter and
gun fire.
PERSON
Lilley! What the fuck? Would you please back the fuck up!
LILLEY
Garza, are we clear?
PERSON
Not going well!
FICK
[on radio] Two Three, Two Three, get up here. I need suppression fire now! Left
side! Left side!
Bravo Three.
MARINE
What do you see?
MARINE
[OS] I can't ID the target.
REDMAN
[OS] Bravo Two's getting chopped up pretty good.
KOCHER
Like Brad says: stay frosty, gents.
MCGRAW
Holy mother of God. We've got a slaughterhouse up there, men!
MARINE
[OS] Why the fuck are we just sitting here!
MARINE (KOCHER?)
All gunners, hold your fire!
MCGRAW
Eric, watch for infiltrators. Be prepared to fire. On my command!
KOCHER
He gives an order to shoot, we'll end up schwacking Bravo Two. Hot mic the
radios, Dirty.
CARISALEZ
You got it.
On the bridge, Bravo Two are still under heavy fire.
MARINE
[OS] RPG!
MARINE (HASSER?)
Watch your fire! Watch your fire!
COLBERT
[OS] Walt! 400, 200 meters!
MARINE
[OS] Get that .50 cal up!
HASSER
Fuck yeah!
WRIGHT
Fuck!
COLBERT
[into radio] Hitman Two, this is Two One. We are unable to move in any
direction, over.
PATRICK
[into radio] Hitman Two, this is Two Two. Man down! Say again, Team Two has a
man down! Over.
REYES
Who we got, Pappy?
PATRICK
Ah, it's just my foot!
REYES
I got you, bro.
FICK
[on radio] Hitman Two Two, this is Hitman Two, what is your status? I say again,
what is the status of your man down? Over.
PATRICK
[on radio] I've been hit in the foot. Break. We'll try a tourniquet. We're
returning fire.
MARINE (STAFFORD?)
[OS] Change your magazines!
MARINE (CHRISTESON?)
[OS] I'm out!
FICK
Gunny, we need to withdraw! We need to back it up the way we came from. Back it
up the way we came in!
CHRISTESON
Get this shit up!
WYNN
[OS] Christeson, hold your sector!
MARINE
On the left!
MARINE
Get your weapons up!
MARINE
Pick up your rate of fire!
MARINE
Shift left, shift left!
FICK
Motherfucker! Turn it around. I'll be right back!
Fick gets out of his vehicle and runs towards Two Three's vehicle.
FICK
Baptista, turn it around now!
BAPTISTA
We engaged!
FICK
Turn now!
Fick runs up to Two Two.
WYNN
[OS] Don't shoot. LT is foot-mobile.
FICK
Rudy, move up onto the berm, hard right, then go!
REYES
Roger that!
FICK
[running up to Two One Bravo] Coming around, coming around! Lilley, you need to
back it up onto the berm, hard right, follow Rudy.
PATRICK
[OS] Rudy, is that Espera to our left?
REYES
I'm in, Pappy.
PATRICK
Who's to our left?
JACKS
That's Espera. He's trying to turn!
ESPERA
Garza, how's it looking?
GARZA
Sergeant, we're clear to our six!
ESPERA
Go slow!
PERSON
Talk to me, Walt!
HASSER
Clear! Okay, go go! Clear on the right! Go!
COLBERT
[on radio] Two One peeling.
FICK
[on radio] All Victors, push past Bravo Three's position and hold. Break, break.
Two Two, what is Echo Five Papa's status?
BRUNMEIER
[on radio] We've stopped the bleeding. He's stable. Break. What's the status of
the casevac? Over.
FICK
[on radio] Stand by!
LOVELL
[on radio] Hitman Two Actual, this is Two Three. All vehicles are up. Push,
push, push!
Bravo Two returns to Bravo Three's position and stops.
COLBERT
Check the tires, Ray.
WRIGHT
[OS] Jesus Christ. [shivers]
TROMBLEY
Did you know people shiver when they have an excess of adrenaline? It cuts the
blood flow or something. They taught us that in SOI.
WRIGHT
Is that what happens to you?
TROMBLEY
No. I get a woody.
Patrick is on the hood of a Humvee, awaiting a casevac.
REYES
Pappy, man, I'm so sorry.
PATRICK
Rude.
REYES
Yeah?
PATRICK
Where's my Cope?
MARINE (BRYAN?)
Sgt. Patrick, you're late for your Medevac.
PATRICK
All right, go.
RUDY
[hands Patrick a can of Copenhagen] Good luck, Pappy. I got you covered.
Fick walks up to Rudy.
FICK
You're team leader now. Get your Victor up. We're moving out again soon.
Fick and Bryan move along the side of the Humvees.
STAFFORD
LT, sir.
BRYAN
He refused to get casevaced.
FICK
I don't want him here if he's combat ineffective.
BRYAN
Well, I took an inch of shrapnel out of his thigh, but it missed the femoral
artery.
CHRISTESON
He tourniqueted himself, sir, got back up on his weapon, and returned fire.
STAFFORD
Boom, boom. I was taking niggers out with the flurry of buckshot... sir.
Fick and Bryan look at each other. Byran nods to Fick, and Fick nods to
Stafford.
CHRISTESON
Screwby, sir.
Christeson and Stafford fist bump each other.
LAVs roll past and begin firing on the bridge. Espera walks up to Colbert and
Person.
COLBERT
[OS] The great destroyers.
PERSON
[OS] Yeah, LAVs rock.
ESPERA
Pouring down hate and discontent like a motherfucker.
COLBERT
Get your team ready, Poke. LT wants us Oscar Mike when they finish.
PERSON
[OS] When they finish fucking shit up there might not even be a bridge.
Espera shakes his head and walks away. Person and Colbert get back into their
Humvee.
COLBERT
We're linking up with Bravo Three ahead. They are on point.
PERSON
All right.
COLBERT
I want 50 meters between their last Humvee and ours.
WRIGHT
Why aren't they sending the tanks over the bridge first?
PERSON
'Cause they don't know how strong the bridge is, if it'll even hold tanks.
WRIGHT
What if it's mined?
PERSON
That's exactly why they're sending us. I mean, come on, dude. You don't want to
risk a $5 million tank when you can send a piece-of-crap Humvee.
FICK
[on radio] All Hitman Two Victors, Hitman Three is Oscar Mike ahead of us. Let's
move out.
COLBERT
Let's go.
WRIGHT
Wake up, Trombley!
TROMBLEY
Huh.
Bravo begins to pull out.
SCHWETJE
[on radio] All Hitman Victors, this is Hitman. War Pig has suppressed targets at
the bridge, and tanks have blown the barriers at the bridge approach. Over.
MCGRAW
[on radio] This is Hitman Three. Roger that.
FICK
[on radio] Hitman. This is Hitman Two Actual. Roger that.
Bravo Three begins to cross the bridge. Men on the bridge are shouting in
Arabic.
KOCHER
Dirty, push into town!
MARINE (CARISALEZ?)
Contact left! RPG team!
SCHWETJE
[on radio] ... Shift east, 50 meters.
A Humvee drives into a crater in the bridge and gets stuck.
MARINE 1
Fuck! We're stuck!
MARINE 2
[on radio] All Hitman Three Victors, vehicle two is stuck. Over.
MARINE 1
Put in four low. Get us the fuck out of here!
MARINE 2
It's not going in! Piece-of-shit Humvee!
MCGRAW
[on radio] Hitman, this is Hitman Three. Relay to Twisting, good effects on
target. Break. RPG team destroyed. Over.
MARINE (SCHWETJE?)
[on radio] Hitman Three, this is Hitman. Solid copy. Roger on relay.
ENRAGE FOUR ONE
[on radio] Enrage Four One established HA Susan. Still waiting for BDA.
TWISTING
[on radio] Twisting copies. Stand by. Enrage Four One, RPG Team destroyed.
ENRAGE FOUR ONE
[on radio] Enrage Four One copies all. Zero plus four one time remaining...
Colbert gets out of his Humvee.
COLBERT
[into radio] Two Actual, this is Two One. We have four Hitman Three Victors
halted on the bridge.
FICK
[on radio] This is Hitman Two Actual. Solid copy.
Colbert gets back into the Humvee.
COLBERT
Did one of their Humvees make it?
Kocher's vehicle drives through the town, away from the rest of the platoon.
KOCHER
[on radio] Hitman Three, this is Hitman Three Two. We're in the town. We observe
no enemy activity at this time. Break. We're still trying to locate a route
through. Movement's restricted due to bomb debris. Over. [pause] Hitman Three,
you copy my last? [to Redman] Redman, how close is Hitman Three?
Three Two drives under a hanging line which knocks Redman over. Carisalez halts
the vehicle.
CARISALEZ
Fuck!
SIMON
He ain't bleeding. His neck don't look broken.
CARISALEZ
We lost the platoon.
MCGRAW
[on radio] All Hitman Victors, this is Hitman Three Actual. [into radio] This is
Hitman Three Actual. The bridge is partially destroyed! We're trapped! [on
radio] I say again, we are fucking trapped!
CARISALEZ
Militarily speaking, Kocher, ain't we the only ones that are trapped?
KOCHER
Back the fuck up.
Kocher's vehicle begins heading back.
Eckloff walks up to Two One Alpha's Humvee. McGraw can be heard shouting on the
radio.
ECKLOFF
Where is Hitman Actual?
COLBERT
That way, sir.
Eckloff walks up the bridge to the stuck vehicles.
ECKLOFF
Roll it over to company.
MCGRAW
[on radio]...249 Tet Offensive. Bullshit! Jesus, Mary and Joseph! I got some
good men dying in there! Hold your sectors, men! We’re like fish in a barrel…
SCHWETJE
[into radio] Break, break. Hitman Two, Hitman Two, we need to back these Humvees
out of here. Do you think-
ECKLOFF
[to Schwetje] Give me your radio.
(Background radio chatter:
MCGRAW
There's one thing I learned in ranger school is that we must seize initiative.)
ECKLOFF
Hand it to me, Captain.
MCGRAW
[into radio] Keep your eyes on those reeds. They could be massing a suicide RPG
team as we speak. We don't know. Any movement in there, you-
Eckloff walks over and cuts off his radio transmission.
ECKLOFF
What the hell is going on here?
SCHWETJE
We were, we're um...The stuck vehicle, it... Stuck.
MCGRAW
I got my best Marines cut off in that town, dying in there!
ECKLOFF
Craig, Godfather needs to unfuck this clusterfuck now. We need to think of this
as a defensive line, and a goal-line stand. And you're the offense, Craig. You
need to be a hard charger here. Put some fuckin' muscle into it.
Schwetje grins and stands up.
SCHWETJE
Men! Over here! Two-minute warning, guys, two-minute warning!
Schwetje, Greigo, and others lift the vehicle out of the crater, and it starts
moving again.
SCHWETJE
Yeah! Whoo!
GREIGO
Yeah! Whoo! Yeah!
MARINE (GRIEGO?)
[on radio] Three Two, this is Hitman. Bridge now clear. You may return to...
SCHWETJE
[to Eckloff] Sir, you did me a favor by taking my radio from me.
KOCHER
[on radio] Hitman, we're retrograding. ETA one mike. Route is currently
unrestricted at this time. Over.
MARINE (GRIEGO?)
Solid copy on all. Hitman out.
SCHWETJE
Gentlemen, this is the end zone! [does an end zone dance] Whoo! Whoo! Yeah! Go
Yellow Jackets!
[00:45:03]
The next day. Bravo examine dead soldiers on the side of the road in front of
the bridge. McGraw walks around collecting the AKs from the dead soldiers.
MCGRAW
How's it feel now, you filthy motherfuckers? God damn dirty Hajji motherfuckers
trying to fuck with me? Fuck you! That's what you get when you try to ambush
Marines, motherfucker! You get dead! Son of a bitch! Ahh!
McGraw dumps a load of AKs over the bridge as Greigo films. Ferrando drives up.
ECKLOFF
[looking at a dead enemy soldier with the word "love" tattooed on his hand] Sir,
get a load of this. They don't look like Iraqi regulars. Looks like he could
have been a college student.
KOCHER
We've got a wounded enemy.
MCGRAW
Shoot him!
FERRANDO
Can you help this man?
MEDIC CORSPMAN
He could be booby-trapped, sir.
KOCHER
I'll search him, sir.
FERRANDO
Because of this dying motherfucker and his dead friends, we're eight hours
behind schedule.
KOCHER
[OS] Look at this motherfucker.
MEDIC CORPSMAN
[OS] Roll him over and check his back.
KOCHER
[OS] He's all yours, doc.
Fick, Wynn, and Meesh walk up.
MEESH
Amphetamine, pretty high-grade shit. Dude, these are Syrian pounds. Syrian
passport.
McGraw takes the man's watch and grinds it underneath his boot.
MEESH
[reads from the man's passport] Ahmed Al Zari, born in Damascus, age 26, entered
Iraq...March 23.
FICK
That's three days after we came.
MEESH
His address in Iraq is the Palestine Hotel in Baghdad. Restaurant is two-star
but room service is out of this world. And if you go around the corner, there's
a club where the ladies go, just say you're a friend of Uday's.
SCHWETJE
What does the rest of it say?
MEESH
"Purpose for entering Iraq: Jihad." He put "Jihad" at passport control. That's
some wicked shit, some evildoing shit if you ask me, man.
SCHWETJE
They're coming here to fight us. I wonder if President Bush will ever find out
about this. This is what the President's been talking about with the war on
terrorists. This is why we're here.
Schwetje, Greigo, Fick, and Wynn walk away.
[00:48:36]
Daytime. Bravo is parked in a field.
(In the background:
REYES
Is he here? Is he underneath the table? Is he here? Aww, just violate his ass.
Send him back to town.
MARINE 1
Man, brother, that is called substance abuse.
REYES, JACKS
[sing] Get me all you've got!
Get me all you've got!
JACKS
Motherfucker.
MARINE 1
Whoa, whoa, whoa. What was it? Yeah, you know, I did a couple or two, three
years with him in Fullsome. He's got some jailhouse tats.)
Wright walks up to Christeson and Stafford cooking some meat on a spit over a
fire. Christeson offers Wright some of the meat.
STAFFORD
Yo.
(In the background:
MARINE 1
He has a peacock right here on his forearm.
JACKS
What was his name?
MARINE 1
Michael Cheree.
MARINE 2
New Rambo.)
STAFFORD
Go on, man, fuck it up.
Wright smells the meat and takes a bite. Espera walks over.
(In the background:
JACKS
Yeah, man, do it.
MARINE 2
Rambo is the best.
MARINE 1
You're dealing with a man who is an expert… [Jacks joins in] with guns, with
knives, with his bare hands. A man who's been trained to ignore pain, to ignore
weather, to eat anything that would make a billygoat puke.)
Espera walks up to Wright.
ESPERA
The fuck is wrong with you, dog? What is it with you white boys? Leave you alone
for 10 minutes, you go all "Lord of the Flies" and shit.
JACKS
[OS] Fucking Trombley man, goddamn motherfucker.
Person walks up to Two Two's vehicle.
PERSON
What up, yo? [looking at the bullet hole in the windshield] Holy fucking shit,
dude. Unreal. Rude, check it out. Look, I'm you. [ducking up and down] Here,
dead. Alive. I'm dead here. Now I'm alive. I'm dead. Alive. Dead-
RUDY
Ray. What's your point?
PERSON
Just trying to cheer you up, brother. Fucking unreal.
Colbert and Hasser clean their guns.
COLBERT
I'm putting you in Trombley's seat when we move out. You need some rest.
HASSER
I'm okay, Brad.
COLBERT
Trombley slept a couple of hours last night. You didn't. I want you in some
shade inside the Humvee.
Espera walks up with some MREs. He tosses them to Trombley, Colbert, and Hasser.
ESPERA
LT's boys are eating some weird-ass meat over there. It's like Jeffrey Dahmer's
picnic. Makes you appreciate shit. Makes you appreciate shit like good
old-fashioned chunk-formed meat patties.
Hasser smiles.
ESPERA
Yo. That was some fucking true Iceman shit you pulled last night. Your
superhuman powers of observation saved the whole platoon. Shit dawg, they
thought they were gonna get the drop on the Iceman? Fuck no. The Iceman can see
you before you even know you're there.
COLBERT
Those guys were untrained amateurs.
ESPERA
Oh yeah? How come we didn't see them?
COLBERT
You're not as good as me. What kind of goddamn sadists work at the MRE factory?
Ten days and nothing but peanut butter. [tosses packet across the grass] When
the fuck am I going to get a jalapeno and cheese?
HASSER
I'm allergic to peanuts.
Bryan comes over.
BRYAN
How's everybody doing?
ESPERA
Well, just the same every day now. Dig a hole, eat, kill.
TROMBLEY
[OS] And jack off.
HASSER
Be nice to add some sleep into the mix.
BRYAN
You know funny thing is, I would've done anything to save those shepherds that
Trombley hit. Yesterday, I musta killed two, maybe three guys. I don't feel
nothing.
ESPERA
Me neither, dawg. I shot some motherfucker right in the grape, saw the back of
his head bust off. I don't feel nothing. Is this how true warriors feel?
COLBERT
Don't fool yourself. We aren't being warriors out here. They're just using us as
machine operators, semi-skilled labor.
FICK
[calling over] TLs over here.
COLBERT
Just about ready, Sir.
Fick, Wynn, Colbert, Espera, Lovell, and Bryan gather around the hood of a
Humvee.
FICK
The news on Pappy is good. This morning he was taken to the RCT shock-trauma
where they loaded him onto a bird. He's on his way to a Navy hospital in Spain.
Back at Camp Mathilda, Pappy once said, "Don't pet a burning dog." I had no idea
what he meant by that until twelve hours ago. Last night we pet a burning dog. I
know it. You know it. There's no use in pretending we didn't.
COLBERT
That's very astute, sir.
FICK
We step off in thirty minutes. Our route is taking us through the center of
Muwaffaqiyah, the town we almost made it to last night.
LOVELL
But isn't the bridge damaged, sir?
FICK
There's an alternate route.
COLBERT
I think we can take it from here, sir.
FICK
Thank you, gents.
Fick and Wynn walk away.
COLBERT
[OS] Alright, I got new map sheets of the AO. One per customer.
WYNN
We did pet a burning dog.
FICK
In more ways than one. Those Jihadists who attacked us? Isn't this the exact
opposite of what we want to have happen here? It's all on that guy's passport.
Two weeks ago, he was still a student in Syria. He wasn't a Jihadi until we came
to Iraq.
Wynn spits. Both get into their vehicle.
(In the background:
MARINE
Pack that shit up and stack it away.)
[00:54:14]
Bravo Two drives down a dirt road.
MARINE (LOVELL?)
[on radio] Hitman Two, something is loose in your vehicle.
FICK
[on radio] Roger that.
COLBERT
Ray, in about one klick we'll hit the cutoff to the town.
WRIGHT
Why didn't we go this way last night?
PERSON
You're not thinking military, dude. See, bypassing the ambush is just what the
ambushers expected us to do.
WRIGHT
[laughing] Well, if they expected us to bypass them, why'd they set up the
ambush?
PERSON
Because they're not professional military.
COLBERT
Slow down, Ray.
They approach some young men in western clothing along the side of the road who
wave at them.
HASSER
Shit, those could be more of those dudes we fought last night.
MAN
Thank you, boss. [continues in Arabic]
COLBERT
[into radio] Hitman Two, this is Two One. On our two o'clock we are passing a
group of foot mobiles, all male, early 20s, definitely not from around here. I
strongly request permission to set up a snatch mission on them. How copy?
FICK
[on radio] Stand by. [pause] This is Two Actual. Our request for a snatch has
been denied. Over.
COLBERT
[into radio] Roger. Thanks for trying.
HASSER
Jesus, look at all that ordnance.
COLBERT
This looks like Jihad central.
FICK
[on radio] All Hitman Two Victors, we are to proceed to our objective as per
Godfather's orders.
Bravo enters the town.
WYNN
[on radio] All Hitman Two Victors, this is Hitman Two. Hold your sectors.
PERSON
It's weird. We had one guy get shot in the foot and another guy take a little
bit of shrapnel in the leg, and we level half of the town.
TROMBLEY
Hajjis gotta learn.
FICK
[on radio] Hitman Two One, the MSR that we're blocking is on the northeast
corner of the town. Push through to that point. Over.
COLBERT
[into radio] Copy that. [to Ray] Ray, push through to edge of town. We're
setting up a roadblock.
Bravo continues to drive through the town.
GARZA
Hey, you got that camera working again? I thought that shit was dead.
LILLEY
Yeah.
Bravo Two stops in the middle of town and begins to set up a roadblock.
COLBERT
We got Team Three accompanying engineers to check out a Ba'ath military
installation.
ESPERA
Cool, cool.
Children approach slowly.
GARZA
We got kids up the alley.
COLBERT
Don't shoot. They're just curious. [waves]
Engineers set up C4 to clear some ordinance stashed in a local school.
HOLSEY
Republican guard took over every classroom.
STINETORF
Now we get to blow up a school.
HOLSEY
Ha.
STINETORF
This is every fourth-grade boy's fantasy.
HOLSEY
Ha ha. We know kids were here til February.
STINETORF
[pointing to Valentine's Day drawings on the wall] Now that's freaky, T.
HOLSEY
Yeah. Why'd these kids draw little girls with blonde hair?
STINETORF
Saddam was even trying to steal our holiday. That's fucking twisted.
Out on the street, civilians beginning walking hurriedly away from Bravo Two's
position.
ESPERA
[to Hasser] Oh, shit. I don't like it when civilians flee, dawg.
Fick walks over as Espera walks away.
FICK
Brad. Meesh has debriefed some locals that say the Jihadists are planning to
attack us with suicide bombers. Soon as Team Three gets back, we're clearing the
town and pushing north.
COLBERT
Roger that, sir.
FICK
What are you doing with that smoke grenade?
COLBERT
What we discussed yesterday, sir. New procedure for stopping cars. Charlie has
already started using blue smoke.
FICK
I don't like this, Brad.
COLBERT
Sir, we fire the smoke grenade 100 meters distant. If it's bad guys, we still
have time to light 'em up.
FICK
We've got reports of suicide bombers.
COLBERT
Sir, we can still kill the cars that don't stop. This just gives civilians a
chance. Now I'm asking, sir. You do have power over this.
FICK
All right.
Fick walks away.
TROMBLEY
We got a vehicle!
All aim towards the incoming car.
COLBERT
Don't fire unless they drive through. And I give the order.
Colbert shoots a smoke grenade at the car. It turns around and rushes away.
GARZA
You turned him, Sergeant.
JACKS
[OS] No shit, you obvious motherfucker.
HOLSEY
[on radio] All Hitman Two Victors, this is Hitman Two Three. Controlled det in
10, 9, 8...
PERSON
Hey, we got a controlled det in five, four-
Everyone braces for the detonation.
PERSON
[OS] -three, two, one.
The building housing the ordinance explodes.
BRYAN
Why'd we leave all that ordinance out in the field if we're gonna blow up the
only school in this town? Am I missing something?
A car begins driving down the road.
ESPERA
Got another one coming at us.
Colbert shoots another smoke grenade. The car continues coming. Hasser opens
fire and shoots two bursts.
COLBERT
[yells] Fuck, Walt! You didn't even fire a warning shot. That was a wounding
shot, motherfucker!
Two Iraqis get out of the vehicle, one with obvious blood stains.
COLBERT
[to Hasser] You okay?
HASSER
The car kept coming.
COLBERT
Yeah. Come on. [leads Hasser back into the Humvee] Sit down, sit down. It's all
right.
Garza scopes the car with binoculars and sees that the driver has been shot in
the head.
GARZA
Holy shit. Check it out.
Trombley takes out his binoculars and looks as well.
TROMBLEY
It's like some real Rob Zombie shit, man. Nice shooting.
COLBERT
[to Hasser] We're just doing our jobs.
Colbert looks at the dead man through his sniper scope.
FICK
[into radio] All Hitman Victors, the battalion has cleared Muwaffaqiyah. We are
to advance up to Al Kut immediately.
COLBERT
Mount up. We're Oscar Mike. [getting into the Humvee] We're Oscar Mike!
[01:03:39]
End Credits
[VO – all on radio]
WHITE HORSE
Brown Horse, this is White Horse. Stand by for SALUTE Report 2 dash 1, over.
BROWN HORSE
White Horse, this is Brown Horse. Stand by to copy.
WHITE HORSE
Line Sierra, 20 personnel. Line Alpha: patrolling what appears to be a
headquarters, break. Line Lima, 3-8 Sierra Papa Victor 3-2-4 4-2-9. Line
Uniform: Republican guard, break. Line Tango: 2-3 March 2-0-0-3 1-7-3-0 Zulu.
Line Echo: AK-47s and RPKs. How copy so far? Over.
BROWN HORSE
Yeah, say again line Lima, over.
WHITE HORSE
Roger. I say again, line Lima: 3-8 Sierra Papa Victor 3-2-4 4-2-9, how copy?
BROWN HORSE
Solid copy. Do you have any remarks? Over.
WHITE HORSE
Affirm. Remarks: all personnel appear to be on guard. Very weak posture. Over.
BROWN HORSE
Roger, solid copy on all. Brown Horse out.
RAPTOR
Godfather, Godfather, this is Raptor. Stand by for SALUTE Report. Over.
GODFATHER
Raptor, this is Godfather. Send your traffic. Over.
RAPTOR
Roger. Line Sierra, four enemy personnel, break. Line Alpha, holding what
appears to be LPOPs vicinity MSR south of Al Kut, break. Line Lima, Papa Victor
5-4-9 3-9-4, how copy so far? Over.
GODFATHER
Solid copy so far, over.
RAPTOR
Roger. Line Uniform: unknown at this time. Line Tango, 3 April 1-7-0-0 Zulu
2-0-0-3. Break. Line Echo, four AK47s, web gear, six AK mags per. Over.
GODFATHER
Solid copy, break. Do you have any remarks? Over.
RAPTOR
Affirm. Stand by to copy remarks, over.
GODFATHER
Roger. Standing by to copy.
RAPTOR
Remarks as follows: all four personnel were found posted along northern running
MSR. Appear to be LPOP, two personnel had red and green pop-up flairs. No
communications or night vision were found, over.
GODFATHER
Roger. Godfather copies. Break. Bring EPWs to be processed at the CP after field
interrogation. Godfather out.