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From my mother's sleep I fell into the State, And I hunched in its belly till my wet fur froze. Six miles from earth, loosed from its dream of life, I woke to black flak and the nightmare fighters. When I died they washed me out of the turret with a hose.

- Randall Jarrell - 1945

SHADOW IN THE CLOUD Written by Max Landis

Wind, rain.

Whipping through trees.

The sound of the ocean.

GARDNER (V.O.) (whispered) Just stay quiet, okay? Stay quiet. EXT. BRADSHAW ARMY AIRFIELD - 4 AM - 1942 MAUDE Gardner, 20s, physically very small, bursts out into the rain and wind of a tropical storm, still zipping up her airforce jumpsuit. Her left arm is in a sling. She carries a hard-back kradio bag, used to hold radio equipment, gingerly at her side, shielding her face again the rain, looking out into the low visibility downpour... The dark shape of a man waves to her with a runway flare. GARDNER Where’s the Fool’s Errand? The field looks like a grey and white fog, with different points of color and huge dark shapes moving nearby; signal lights and the flying juggernauts of World War 2. The man’s shape has vanished. HEY!

GARDNER (CONT’D) Hey for Pete’s sakes!

Surreal; she pushes out, still struggling with her jumpsuit’s zipper, into the wet downpour, protective of her kradio bagA FIGHTER COMES OUT OF THE STORM- Gardner has to stagger out of its way, nearly chopped to pieces by the propeller. GARDNER (CONT’D) Goddamn it, where are you? There’s a rumble, an a huge flash of lightning, for a moment silohuetting a massive dark shape in luminous white... A B-17 Flying Fortress. The bomber that defined World War 2. It’s already rolling forward up the tarmac. The boom of thunder throws Maude into action. She runs, towards the B-17 as it turns, lumbering onto the runway. For a moment, lightning frames her tiny form against the behemoth. TITLE: SHADOW IN THE CLOUD

2. As Maude approaches, she notices a single- what is that? A cord? Sure, a single loop of cord hanging off the bottom of the plane. Before she can get a better look, the cord suddenly seems to retract, slithering up into the plane, out of sight. Maude blinks, wiping rain out of her eyes. It was nothing.

It must’ve been.

She hurries under the plane, around the propellers, to a hanging ladder. With one arm, she pulls herself up, nearly falling as the plane turns on to the runway, intoINT. THE FOOL’S ERRAND - CABIN The cabin of the B-17 is dimly lit, the engines are VERY LOUD, it’s cramped enough already that by the time Gardner pulls herself up she’s nearly nose to nose with TAGGART, 30s, Scottish, whiskey-weathered and already furious. Noticing Gardner he GRABS HER BY THE COLLARTAGGART The fuck do you think you’re doing, get off nowI-

GARDNER

Taggart slaps her in the face. TAGGART Don’t fucking talk back, get off now! GARDNER I’m on this flight! TAGGART Get off the fucking plane! GARDNER No, I’m assigned to this flightTaggart begins jostling her towards the door, paying her injured arm no mind. Behind them, at the tail gun: BECKELL, 20s, a skinny twerp, cranes his neck, already strapped into his seat, unable to get a look at the ruckus. He’s stuck facing directly backwards with his gun for takeoff.

3. BECKELL What the hell is goin’ on up there? GARDNER I’m assigned to this flightTaggart shoves her back, and Gardner holds her ground, protective of her kradio bagGARDNER (CONT’D) I’M ASSIGNED TO THIS FLIGHT, DON’T FUCKING TOUCH ME AGAINTaggart makes to hit her again, but then makes a big show of “summoning his patience.” TAGGART (faux calm, near violence) We can’t have any extras, this isn’t a tropical joyrideGardner pulls out a crumpled, rain stained document, shoving it in Taggart’s face so aggressively he steps back. GARDNER I’m commissioned to this flight, look. It’s an order from Major Reigert. Taggart just stares at her. The engines start revving up, louder and louder, and he rips away the order, looking at it under a bare bulb. Behind them, Beckell squeals around like a kid in a car seat, trying to contort himself to get a look BECKELL Seriously what the fuck is happening back there, is that a dame, I can’t hear shit! Is there a dame. Someone tell me what the fuck is goin’ on!? As Taggart reads, Gardner looks up further into the cabin, where she can see the legs of the top turret gunner. He ducks down to check out the noise, revealing: QUAID, 20s, lanky with dark hair. They make eye contact; he looks as confused as Taggart does angry, and Gardner nervously clutches her radio bag. The plane begins to speed up, and Taggart nods, lowering the paper, pulling open a hydraulic hatch beneath him. It leads to the ball turret.

4. GARDNER What are you doing? TAGGART There’s no damn room up here, no seat left. It’s been cleared for cargo, get in the Sperry. GARDNER You want me to get in the turret? TAGGART Are you deaf? GARDNER (indicating the radio bag) Did you not read the order, I’m supposed to guard thisTAGGART Tough shit, take it in there with you, hold’s full! Gardner glances in horror down at the hatch to the ball gunner pod, a tiny, almost entirely transparent chamber filled with gunnery equipment hanging on the bottom of the plane. TAGGART (CONT’D) The fuck are you waiting for, we’re taking off! She stares at radio bag for a moment, deeply conflicted. GARDNER Can you pass it up to the astrodome? TAGGART Top turret? Why? GARDNER There’d be room up thereTAGGART Get in the wee fucking turret right now or you’ll be on your ass when we take offGARDNER No, if I’m getting in there, you’re bringing this to the Astrodome turret, and you be careful with this, it’s fragile, are we clear?

5. Taggart suddenly brings a finger right up in her face and she flinches backwards. TAGGART Where the fuck do you think you areTommy DORN, 20s, so Texan you can hear it in his voice, leans out of his waist-gunner position up ahead of them. DORN I’ll get that for you darlin’. Gardner falters, clutching the radio bag protectively. GARDNER It’s fragile. DORN Not a problem sweetness, I’ll keep it right side up, bring it to the top turret. TAGGART Bloody hell. There’s a lurch as the plane gains speed. Gardner gingerly hands off the radio bag to Dorn, and he takes it further up into the plane towards Quaid, as Gardner climbs down into: INT. THE FOOL’S ERRAND - BALL TURRET The ball turret is a plexiglass sphere hanging off the bottom of the behemoth like a single glass testicle. To get in, you have to bunch in alongside a machine gun, forced into a fetal position in the most vulnerable and dangerous position on the aircraft, unable even to straighten your legs. The runway is already flying by beneath; it’s immediately disorienting and terrifying, like jumping out of a moving car. Gardner falls into place, and Taggart seals the hatch shut behind her. It’s freezing cold in here, and wet, the ground racing by, rumblingGardner hurriedly straps herself in, as the B-17 lifts off into the air... The ground under her is abruptly replaced by ocean as they climb higher. Higher into the storm, the tiny turrect shaking violently.

6. Higher. Higher and higher. Gardner looks down at the fading lights of the airstrip behind her, a tiny constellation in the pre-dawn downpour, getting further and further away. It’s almost pitch black out there. There’s a strange noise from somewhere to her left, barely audible over the engine, and she turns, cocking an ear. Was that... It wasn’t laughing. Out there in the darkness. The underside of the plane barely lit by the flashing navigation lights on the wings. She shivers, and then perks up, noticing something. A faint shape off out below and in front of the plane, flying in the distance. There- and gone. Gardner blinks, thinking, and then searches around- there they are, there’s the headphones and mic. (((From this point on - all characters speaking are over the radio, with only Gardner on screen))) she pulls them on getting ready to speak when she hearsTAGGART -wee bitch shoved her paper in my face, so I threw her in the ball turret. QUAID I’ve got her cargo in here with me. TAGGART Well you aren’t to touch it. (annoyed) Orders from Major Reigert. A new voice speaks, smooth, confident, with a Brooklyn accent. This is FRAZELLI. FRAZELLI Wait, you’re telling me we have a passenger on board? The fuck? DORN Some gal with her arm broke. Another new voice speaks up, grumpy, sour.

This is FINCH.

7. FINCH Her arm’s broke? What is this the Salvation Army, we give charity rides now? BECKELL Who gives a crap about her arm, is she sweet? How’s her ass? DORN Couldn’t tell in that jumpsuit, all dolled up playing soldier. Great little kisser though. Great lips. Kinda mouth you could fuck all day. BECKELL Well shit, maybe the flight gets boring we can all get lucky. FRAZELLI Well maybe you can get by with a girl with one arm but she’s gonna need both hands for me. BECKELL I can’t believe there was a pussy that close to me and I didn’t even get a look, that’s a real stealth pussy, fellahs. Gardner’s had enough; she pressed her radio switch. GARDNER I’m on the comms. There’s a beat, and then laughter.

Dorn comes back.

DORN Oh, sorry baby, just giving an honest report. There’s an awkward silence. GARDNER And I’m not a passenger, technically I’m crewBECKELL Ain’t no women in the airforceGARDNER Yes there are, actually. I’m Women’s Auxiliary Force. My name is Captain Maude Gardner. (MORE)

8. GARDNER (CONT'D) (beat, forces a smile) Hope you boys don’t mind me tagging along. REEVES Hello Ms. Gardner. Gardner stops. This new voice is smooth, confident, cocksure, a bit older. GARDNER Who am I speaking to? REEVES This is Captain Reeves, I’m your pilot today. FINCH Finch, Navigator. BECKELL Beckell, tail gunner. DORN Dorn, we met up top. REEVES This was supposed to be a routine transfer; this plane is being retrofitted, flight time is only eighty one minutes to Hickham in Pearl Harbor. Why’ve I got WAF running onto my plane on the runway? GARDNER It was a last minute consignment. I’m not supposed to say much, and if you’ve read that order you knowREEVES I’m not supposed to ask. Understood, Miss Gardner. GARDNER (mutters, to herself) Captain Gardner. REEVES What was that? Nothing.

GARDNER

9. BECKELL I don’t get it, I thought all the broads in the WAF were penguins. GARDNER P- Penguins? DORN Airforce that don’t fly. BECKELL We’ve got a dodo in a gun now? GARDNER No, this isn’t my first flight. I’m a not a penguin or a dodo, I’m a- human being. Gardner laughs to herself. FRAZELLI Wait, you’ve got air-time? GARDNER Sorry, who’s that speaking? FRAZELLI Lieutenant Anton Frazelli, copilot. DORN Ooh, a first name from the Italian Casanova. In that case I’m Tommy. BECKELL (excited) Stu.

(annoyed) Bradley.

Gardner laughs again at their eagerness. GARDNER Yes, I’ve got airtime. theater.

European

BECKELL Well shit, we didn’t know you were an ace. You one of them mouthy types? Tomboy and that shit? No.

GARDNER

FINCH

10. BECKELL My friend Saul says ninety nine percent of the WAFS is lesbians and one percent is whores, how’s that math shake out, you find that to be true to fact? Gardner falters, uncomfortable but...used to it. GARDNER It’s one hundred percent soldiers. Is this flight ten percent comedians? Dorn, Frazelli and Quaid laugh on the radio. BECKELL What’s that supposed to mean? I’m Quaid.

QUAID

Gardner softly smiles. There’s a rumble of turbulence, and she steadies herself in the tiny pod. No rank?

GARDNER No first name?

DORN Yeah, come on Quaid, seduce her. Gardner laughs to herself. QUAID Walter, Staff Sergeant Walter Quaid. GARDNER Pleased to meet you. TAGGART Better make nice with Quaid, lassie, he’s the one’s got your purse. Gardner falters, nervous. GARDNER Is it...okay...up there? QUAID Safe and sound.

11. BECKELL What’s in there? A decoder? REEVES The consignment said secret, Beckell. Lay off the questions. Yes sir.

BECKELL

GARDNER It’s alright. FINCH Hey I don’t get it. Your orders say you’re ferrying this but you got a bum arm? How’d that happen? GARDNER (beat) I fell. Doing engine work on a B24. Fell off the far wingDORN Why’d they let a pretty little lady like you do engine work? GARDNER Been doing it for three years. more used to the B-24s.

I’m

BECKELL Fuck B-24s! GARDNER Is that jealousy I hear? Lightning rumbles in the clouds above them. noise again, closer:

There’s that

Hehehehe Gardner spins in her seat, trying to get a look behind her. There’s nothing. Just the tail of the plane. The blinking lights in the darkness. She refocuses, shaking off a chill. FRAZELLI I understand you’re a master engineer, so Snow White, maybe you can inform the seven dwarves: What the hell has a B-24 got that we don’t have in the B-17?

12. GARDNER (still hshaking it off) The B-24 is just a better aircraft. BECKELL Oh great, you’re one of those? FINCH Hey, easy Gardner, you attack the B17 that’s attacking an American Institution, that’s like throwing a rock at Uncle SamGARDNER (smiles, back in it) Look American institutions need changing, too, just cause the constitution was written with a quill ain’t mean I’m not gonna trade it for a typewriter. DORN Name one way the 24 has the B-17 beat, I’ll eat my hat, and that’s a big hat. GARDNER (duh) Flies farther, faster than these hunka junks. DORN Says who, sugar? What magazine did you get that from? GARDNER (flatly) Says the real world, Private Dorn. DORN Oh you know a lot about the real world, baby doll? Laughter on the comm. Gardner’s face hardens, she falters, stops herself, then, you know what, fuck it: GARDNER I know that if a B-17 wants to fly a third as far as a B-24 it has to lose half their bomb bay for an extra fuel tank. B-24’s got a larger load by three tons. And do you don’t- you do not understand how fast these suckers are; (MORE)

13. GARDNER (CONT'D) shit, when we flew alongside the RAF the formation speed on the B24s were so damn fast they couldn’t stay in combat formations with B17, looked like fat kids waddling through the sky, the B-24s would be out, bomb targets and be back in the hangar by the time the 17s would get in the target zone, the shit was embarrassing if I’m honest. The only thing 17s even have is they look a little prettiergot curves like Mae West so when they show it to the boys back home they pop a woody cause they’re gonna be big air heroes like Clark Gable, right? There’s dead silence on the comm. Did she just get too comfortable?

Gardner bites her lip.

DORN Wow sweetheart, you sure have a lot of opinions, don’t you? Yes.

Hard yes.

Gardner hangs her head, exhaling, and shifts, touching her stomach, pained, trying to get comfortable. Impossible. Comfort is not an option. From this point on, every interaction with Beckell and Dorn is tinged with annoyance. There’s a long beat.

Rain spatters against the ball turret.

REEVES Three thousand feet and climbing. FINCH Hey Quaid you got any pops on the mickey radar? When we were coming under cloud cover I thought I saw something. Gardner perks up, listening. REEVES Would’ve been nice to tell us then, Finch.

14. FINCH Well there was a lot of chatter going round, everybody excited by the skirt in the belly turret. QUAID I’m clean on radar. BECKELL What’d you see, Finch? There’s a beat.

Gardner waits, very curious.

FINCH S’probably nothing. TAGGART Screw that, you fork it over now. I seen too many good men shot down by probably nothing. FRAZELLI Control said no japs in the area. We’d catch’em on ground radar for sure, right? FINCH It was...I think it was a civilian plane. I don’t know. It was just a second. Coulda been a single prop. No, she has to say something. GARDNER Are you talking about eleven o’clock, about a minute out into the ascent? FINCH (surprised) Yes indeed I am, Gardner, you had eyes down there? GARDNER Um- as a matter of fact, I did. QUAID I don’t have anything on the Mickey. It’s clean.

15. REEVES Well then eyes open, everyone. In low visibility we don’t wanna spook a civilian, even if they’re flying illegally. Gardner you get a good look? GARDNER The “skirt in the belly turret” just saw some movement. Could’ve been anything. TAGGART Is this like your loose hydraulic on the runway, Miss Gardner? What?

BECKELL “Loose hydraulic,” what?

TAGGART Miss Gardner came onto the plane panicking about something “hanging off our landing gear.” It was nothing, all our hydros are intact. No surprise there. REEVES Gentlemen as much as I’m enjoying the Variety hour, this chatter is distracting, let’s keep off the comms till we get through theThere’s abrupt, very violent turbulence and his voice cuts out. The ball turret is shaken violently in its rotator cuff, and they plunge fully into the underside clouds. Visibility outside the ball turret drops to nearly zero. she can see are the flashing lights on the wings. The occasional flash of lightning.

All

Then TOO CLOSE, THUNDER BOOMS INCREDIBLY LOUDLY. The pod is RATTLED, and two flashes of lightning momentarily blind Gardner, who shields her eyes... Blinking away the glare she sees... Movement- whatFor a moment, clear as day, she sees movement: a shadow, a silohuetted figure scampering across the underside of wing, lit from behind in the navigation light. Hehehehehe

16. Gardner freezes, holding her breath. She stares, her eyes WIDE OPEN, trying to see something, anything. Nothing. Just the rain splattering against her tiny plexiglass coffin, the engine roaring, the lights blinking, the clouds around choking the air. Hehehehehahahaha TURBULENCE! Gardner is shaken violently out of her frozen panic, gasping in air. She shakes her head, pulling back on the headset. GARDNER Captain, I have aREEVES No comms please we need to focus. GARDNER I need to tell youREEVES Silence, that’s an order. GARDNER (falters) I have a visual on something on the underside of the starboard wing. There’s a beat of silence. Repeat?

REEVES

GARDNER I said I have a visual of somethingI saw something move on the right wing. TAGGART The “right” wing? DORN That’s the propellers, baby. BECKELL Do we have a “right” wing? I coulda sworn it was starboard. GARDNER I said starboard originally.

17. FINCH Oh well thank god for that. REEVES Clarify visual. I saw a...

GARDNER

What did she see? GARDNER (CONT’D) I saw a shadow, sir. A shadow?

REEVES

GARDNER I saw a shadow, yes. lights.

In the signal

REEVES The “signal lights?” GARDNER The navigation lights, sir, a shadow went across the wing. There’s a beat of silence. GARDNER (CONT’D) Maybe some kind of animalREEVES (calmly, patronizing) Gardner why don’t you come on up out of there. Sir?

GARDNER

REEVES I think you might be more comfortable in the cabin. Taggart only put you in there becauseGARDNER I’m perfectly comfortable here, sir I’d actually rather not sit next to Mr. Taggart if it’s the same to you. There’s another beat. Gardner can hear faint talking from above him. Lighting flashes in the clouds.

18. QUAID Gardner I’ll swap with you. GARDNER You’ll swap with me? QUAID Sure, top turret, bottom turret, same to me. TAGGART It’s a whole different gun, Quaid. What if something happens? QUAID I’m just saying if she’s having trouble down thereGARDNER (frustrated) I am not “having trouble” Mr. Quaid. Everything’s swell down here, I’m just telling you what I sawREEVES Drop the tone. I had asked for silence. GARDNER I don’t- yes sir. REEVES Non-negotiable. You come up to the cabin, now. Pop the hatch yourself. Gardner takes minute to compose herself, then reaches for the hydraulic hatch unlock. FRAZELLI I’m not sure that’s a good idea, cap. She stops. Can she stay? Or does she have to go sit next to the man who started this movie by hitting her in the face? FRAZELLI (CONT’D) Until we have visibility I think it’s best we keep hands on all guns.

19. REEVES Overruled. Gardner, out of the Sperry Turret, now. Gardner hides the disappointment in her voice. Yes sir.

GARDNER

She sighs, reaches up and pulls the first release on the hatch- only for the lever to snap off in her hand. She stares at it. Um- hh.

GARDNER (CONT’D)

She stops herself from saying anything and tries to pull the release catch open with her fingers- agh painfully breaks a nailShit.

GARDNER (CONT’D)

She tries the other catch, a leather strap- but that falls away too. She stares at it in her hands: it’s been torn somehow, or is it- chewed throughREEVES Gardner, out of the hatch. GARDNER Sir, there’s a bit of a Snafu with the hatch. REEVES Use the steel lever toGARDNER Yes sir, the lever broke off. REEVES It...broke off? GARDNER In my hand sir. TAGGART Those levers are bolted on, by a machine in the factory, Gardner. You can’t just yank them off. GARDNER That’s what happened.

20. DORN Holy shit she’s Herculs. We have a legend on board, gentlemen.bu REEVES Pull the leather strap to the left of the main catch, it shouldGARDNER The safety strap is gone too. I...uh... She pushes it once.

It doesn’t budge.

Pushes again.

GARDNER (CONT’D) If- if one of you couldTAGGART For christsakes, I got it. QUAID You’re gonna be okay, Gardner. GARDNER I know. I’m not concerned for my safety. (beat) In the future if I see somethingREEVES The future of our career together will be over in less than 70 minutes. GARDNER Then in the next seventy minutes, if I see something on the outside of the vessel or anything strange, should I just keep them to myself? There’s a beat. REEVES There’s that tone again, Miss Gardner. TAGGART (from very close by) Well...There’s problem here. GARDNER Taggart can you hear me?

21. TAGGART The damn actuator on the hydraulic hinge for the door has been torn out. And...what’re these... There’s a beat, we can hear him moving around above us. REEVES Taggart, what do you see? TAGGART (mutters) Screws. There’s screws on the ground. Where the hell could they have(louder) Gardner, you touching anything in there? No!

GARDNER

TAGGART Anything out here then, you get curious, maybe pull a leverGARDNER Didn’t have time, Mr. Taggart, as I recall you were forcing me in with both hands. TAGGART Then what the fuck...there’s loose screws up here, shit! Beckell, Dorn, gimme a hand? The noise of more men moving above her in the plane. GARDNER What’s the hold up, gentlemen? No response. She again presses the panel; blood from her split fingertip falls onto her face. She can hear men talking. She strains to listen.

Men’s voices from another room.

GARDNER (CONT’D) What are you saying? What’s going on up there? There’s a soft bang from above, and another drop of blood hits her face.

22. She notices this time, and lowers her hand, quickly wiping her face, and then going in her pocket for a plaster, wrapping her finger but not taking her eyes off the hatch. Would you? BECKELL Christ she’s fuckin’ trapped herself in there in there. GARDNER Excuse me, please repeatDORN Don’t think about that hot stuff, you keep your mind off it. We’ll handle it. Gardner groans, and there’s another jostle of turbulence. TAGGART How the fuck did we get loose screws in here, what are they even from? Christ one of these wires is torn. What the fuck did you do to this thing, Gardner? GARDNER You were there, did you see me rip out wires? The lights inside the pod and behind her shut off, leaving her in near total darkness. FRAZELLI Captain I’m having some trouble with the electrical. We just lost our aft lights. What?

GARDNER What’s going on up there?

Hehehehe GARDNER (CONT’D) And what the fuck is that noise, is that equipment? FINCH What noise? DORN Just focus on the clouds, Gardner. You see any more shadows?

23. GARDNER Thank you Mr. DornDORN Sergeant DornGARDNER Sergeant but I’m a little more concerned about the hatch- is there anything I can do from in here? Silence. Lightning flashes and behind her, unseen, something out of focus leaps from the wing to the body of the plane. BECKELL Jesus, listen to her voice, she’s cracking up. She’s been in that thing ten minutes and she’s cracking up. Gardner flinches in anger, getting ready to respond, but then stops herself. We track as whatever that is behind her lithely slithers up and out of sight, directly behind and above the pod. Gardner’s head whips but the...thing is already out of sight. QUAID Can you keep your macho flyboy shit under control, Beckell? BECKELL Hey I’m not the broad jumping at shadowsFINCH In the broad’s favor if she hadn’t jumped at that shadow we wouldn’t know the hatch was broke. BECKELL Well everything’s eventualQUAID Gardner pay Beckell no mind, you think this is bad you should see how he treats waitresses. BECKELL HEY! Easy with that, this has got nothing to do with her being a dame. It’s the position. Belly gunners always go crazy, some folks just ain’t built for it.

24. There’s a rattle of turbulence, shunting Gardner around in the limited space. BECKELL (CONT’D) They tried to force me in there I would refuse to fly- I’d be spending the night in jail and then home for treason, I don’t give a shitREEVES Stow it Beckell. BECKELL I’m just saying, we can see each other. Tail gunner can look back and see the waist gunners, the waste gunners can look up and see the pilot and co-pilot, and the navigator and the bombardier are together and you’re just cooped up down their in your little plastic aquarium over a twenty five thousand foot drop. Woof, gives me shiversGARDNER What’s going on with that hatch, boys. There’s a tinkling sound, something dropping past Gardner’s face. Confused, she reaches down to pick it up. It’s a bolt. It’s been unbolted. She looks up, and realizes it’s one of twenty some bolts holding the pod onto the plane. Gardner REEVES There’s that tone again, Miss GardnerGARDNER Yes correct I have a tone, correct. DORN Don’t get uppityGARDNER I am in a compromised position, I am not receiving updates onREEVES You are an auxiliary crewman-

25. GARDNER Correction I am an auxiliary Captain. I have two hundred hours flyingBECKELL This bitch has gone crazy. GARDNER I’ve got 200 hours flying over Europe, unarmed planes, yeah? No guns. Through enemy territory, I am not- this is not the first time I have experienced a midflight fuck up but this is the first time I’ve had to listen to the Marx Brothers talk about who gets to fuck me first while being in charge of my safety, so quit the goddamn bozo Heman act and either get me out of the bubble or don’t fall into some kind of conniption baby tantrum when I report I see a shadow, got it? There’s a long beat of silence. Gardner’s eyes suddenly widen: what did she just do. Oh no. What did she just do. DORN Fucking christ, listen to this! BECKELL You arrogant bitch, man if I was down there you’d be over my knee so fast you’d think you tripped and broke your other armFINCH Man you talk that way in Lousiana you’d have two black eyes, no wonder you’re not fuckin marriedDORN Unbelievable. You know I was on her side, too, I was really trying to be a gentleman for this cunt? TAGGART Women aren’t suited to this shit, I told you. I told you, I said it beforeAs she listens she doesn’t notice something...is that a hand? touch the glass just to her left, then slide out of sight.

26. REEVES Taggart, Dorn, you can leave the hatch for now. Let’s give “Captain” Gardner some time to get through her hysteria. GARDNER Do not take me off comm. FRAZELLI Hey cap we need her to spotBECKELL Spot what, more bullshit? Imaginary hydraulics, ghost planes, killer shadows, shut this bitch up. FINCH I can cut her off the main radio. REEVES Please do Corporal Finch. And check her credentials please against Hickham Field AND Bradshaw. An injured woman being asked to transport a high security package seems hinky to me. BECKELL Yeah it’s seemed hinky to me from the get and you told me to stow it! REEVES I stand by that. GARDNER Do not take me off the comm. QUAID Captain Reeves, if she’s off radio then we don’t have eyesREEVES That’s fine. The distraction is getting too much; we’ll sledgehammer the hatch when we’re through the clouds. QUAID Captain ReevesGARDNER Do not cut me off comms. Please do not take me off the comm, Captain.

27. There’s a beat. Hello?

GARDNER (CONT’D)

Another beat. Hello?

GARDNER (CONT’D)

There’s a jostle of turbulence.

She’s alone.

GARDNER (CONT’D) ARE YOU JOKING! YOU FUCKS! STUPID FUCKS.

YOU

She takes a beat, and then does something unexpected: she casually pulls her arm of the sling, stretching it. It’s completely uninjured. Wait What But I thought she said Gardner tries with both hands to pull push the hatch open. It doesn’t move at all. Of course.

GARDNER (CONT’D) Of course.

She settles back into her seat, trying to calm herself, and then something incredible happens. The B-17 clears the storm, coming up into the pink, predawn sky, the clouds now a dark purple crackling mass below them. The first tiny edges of a sun rise are peeking over the horizon. Gardner sighs, settling back into the horrible, cramped seat.

And sees the tail of a Japanese fight cutting the clouds behind and below them like a shark’s fin. Before she can react, it ducks out of sight, back into the storm. Gardner grabs the headset. But she doesn’t see what we see.

28. There is something out of focus hanging on the pod directly behind her. Clinging on. Its face pressed against the glass. GARDNER (CONT’D) JAPANESE OSCAR NINE O’CLOCK IN THE CLOUDS, REPEAT WE HAVE A BOGEY NINE O’CLOCK FOUR HUNDRED FEET BELOW US, COPY? JAPANESE OSCAR AT NINE O’CLOCK DO YOU-

THE HATCH ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE POD BEHIND GARDNER IS YANKED OPEN AND GARDNER IS GRABBED BY HORRIBLY THIN ARMS AND YANKED BACKWARDSTHE BALL TURRET IS ABRUPTLY A CHAOS OF WIND AND MOVEMENTTHERE IS SOMETHING IN THERE WITH HERIT STRADDLES HER CLAWING HER WILDLY AND SLAMMING HER HEAD AGAINST THE SEAT AS GARDNER FLAILS IN CONFUSIONThe GREMLIN pins her, and we get a damn good look- a bifurcated face like a bat, some kind of filthy, lemur like rodent with disorganized needle teeth, feathers and fur all scrambling boneless movement like a spider skittering up your leg, hooked yellow claws slashing as it slobbers wildly on her, screeching laughter as it mauls her and humps her vicious laughing and screamingGARDNER (CONT’D) (screaming) HELP! OH GOD HELP ME HELP MEShe gets a leg up and SHOVES THE GREMLIN OUT, YANKING THE EMERGENCY HATCH CLOSED. THE Gremlin holds onto the pod, and begins attempting to yank the hatch open- Gardner frantically holds it closedNO!

NO!

GARDNER (CONT’D)

Gardner draws out a pistol from her arm cast, and FIRES A SINGLE SHOT out the crack- the gremlin briefly relents, startledWait she has a gun why does she have a OH FUCK THE GREMLIN’S BACK TRYING TO PULL OPEN THE HATCH- she jams the loose bolt in the catch, barring it.

29. The gremlin stops pulling, and just stares at her. Blood has begun to seep from claw wounds all over her face. It laughs hysterically, and begins SLAMMING ITS OWN HEAD INTO THE GLASSAGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN LEAVING BLOODY IMPRINT OF ITS OWN FACE AND THENScampers up out of sight. out a shriek. And again.

Gardner jerks in place, and lets

Her shaking hands realize the extent of the injuries all over her body. Her jumpsuit is torn to shit. REEVES Gardner what the fuck was that noise? Gardner’s silent, eyes blinking, she’s still trying to breathe- she’s trying to suck in air but nothing’s coming. Blood drips into her eyes. REEVES (CONT’D) Gardner respond, was that a gun shotI- I- I-

GARDNER

BECKELL She’s bugged out man, she’s got a fucking gun down there! REEVES Gardner, respond, that’s an order! GARDNER (falters) Everything’s- okay down hereREEVES Confirm you just discharged a weapon. GARDNER I- the- theREEVES Confirm you have a weapon on my plane. I do not.

GARDNER

30.

Bullshit!

DORN

QUAID Hey, Captain Reeves? REEVES Miss Gardner you have seven men up here who just heard some kind of ruckus and a gunshot, clear as dayQUAID Captain, IGARDNER That was not a gunshot, sir, you heard wrong. Gardner is slowly coming out of her shock. She begins ripping apart her discarded arm sling, using pieces of it to bandange wounds on her arm and forehead. REEVES We “heard wrong?” GARDNER Correct, that was the noise of a bird hitting the plane, it startled me sirA bird-

REEVES

GARDNER A gull sir. QUAID Captain Gardner if there’s something you’re not telling us maybe now’s the time. What?

GARDNER

QUAID I’m just sayingGARDNER Staff Sergeant Quaid do you have my radio bag? QUAID Yes m’am but-

31. GARDNER My radio bag is our priority. That is the most important thing to us on this aircraft. QUAID UnderstoodGARDNER Then what is it you’re expecting? What do you want me to tell your crew? QUAID They’re not my crew m’amDORN Quaid you’re just riling her up. BECKELL She’s got that- whatzittempermenstrualREEVES Finch you get anything on her from the ground yet? FINCH Yes, sir, on with Bradshaw radio control now. Gardner’s eyes widen.

She looks up at the hatch.

Beat.

GARDNER Listen I have- I saw something down here. REEVES Best you stay quiet. what’re they saying?

Finch,

FINCH You’re not going to like this, boys. Bradshaw they says they’ve got no injury reports for a “Maude Gardner.” They don’t even got no “Maude Gardner” listed on their WAF sheets; they’ve got a Maude Johnson came over ten months ago but...Boys...we’re chaperoning an unknown quantity. There’s a beat of silence. it all.

The look on Gardner’s face says

32. REEVES Who are you? GARDNER There is an enemy fighter in close proximityDORN She’s still tellin’ fairy tales. TAGGART Aye, Dorn, give me a hand with this. REEVES You are a stowaway on my plane. GARDNER (changing tact) You are not supposed to be asking me questions. Did you not read the orderThere’s banging noise from above, at the hatch. TAGGART I’ll have her out soon, sir. There’s another BANG. The hatch moves slightly. Gardner’s eyes flash down to her gun, staring at it. She refocuses. GARDNER Listen to me very carefully. (beat) There is a Japanese Aichi E13A in close proximity to us, very possibly directly under us, right now. Now it’s a seaplane, it could never get past our guns but the japs use it as a scoutFINCH I thought you said you were European theaterGARDNER The hell you think I been doing for the past ten months in Hawaii, filing my nails!? (MORE)

33. GARDNER (CONT'D) The Aichi couldn’t get past our guns if we were ready for him but if he’s out here he’s not aloneHe’s gonna come back here with Zekes or Type Fives and we’re gonna be standing out with our ass hanging out. TAGGART Why are we still listening to her? DORN We’re getting some give on the hatch, here- she’s like a pearl in a clamBANG.

The hatch moves.

She pulls her gun.

Uh oh.

REEVES Did you see this enemy aircraft before or after a “gull” hit your pod? FRAZELLI Sir we just lost aft signal lights. FINCH What the hell is going on on this plane? That’s our ninth system failure, Taggart, what the fuckBeckell interjects, an odd tone in his voice. BECKELL Is there monkeys- sorryREEVES You’re going to start giving us straight answers, now. That wasn’t a gull, it was a gunshot. Where’d you get that gun? GARDNER Beckell what’d you just say? REEVES No, you’re talking to me, Beckell get off comms- Who the hell are you Miss Gardner? BECKELL Cap is there monkeys-

34.

What?

REEVES

BECKELL (beat) Is there monkeys in Hawaii? A confused beat of silence: Gardner’s eyes widen as she realizesGARDNER Why’d you ask about a monkey, Beckell? TAGGART Answer the Captain! REEVES Taggart get that fucking hatch open! DORN Quaid, open the package! What the hell are we keeping in the top turret? GARDNER Don’t you fucking touch that, Quaid, don’t let them near it! If any of you open it that’s a fucking firing squad, you hear me? Bang at the hatch. She raises her gun, ready to kill. A beat. Holy fuck, is she gonna...WHY DOES SHE HAVE THAT GUN? GARDNER (CONT’D) (slowly) Beckell, why’d you ask about monkeys? Where’d you see amonkey...where’d youHer eyes widen. The Japanese Seaplan has appeared below and behind them. It is rapidly approaching. GARDNER (CONT’D) I- I have visual on the Aichi! Bullshit!

FRAZELLI

DORN Japanese seemin’ real convenient.

REEVES Gentlemen...We may have an enemy agent on board.

35. The Aichi is closer- closer- If it opens fire on its current course, it’ll gut the B-17 like a fish, and Gardner will just be an ugly stain. Gardner holsters her pistol and takes the controls of the turret into her hand. GARDNER Sir permission to fire. REEVES Is that a joke? GARDNER Requesting permission to fire on an enemy attackerFuck here it comes FINCH There’s nothing on the mickeyQUAID Gardner cool it and answer the captain’s questionsGARDNER FUCKING SPOT DOWN LOW AT SIXREEVES I am not activating that turretSir-

GARDNER

REEVES You wouldn’t even know how to fire it if I did. Gardner’s face hardens. GARDNER (shaking) I was being polite. She yanks the three activation handles andThe hydraulics of the pod SUDDENLY ACTIVATE, dropping it down two feet and giving it smooth 360 degree movement! Her machinegun REVS TO LIFE, cycling, rapidly heating upDORN (baffled) She loosed the-

36.

THE AICHI OPENS FIRE, MACHINE GUN FIRE SPATTERING THE BACK HALF OF THE B-17 FROM BELOWFRAZELLI WHAT THE FUCK-

FINCH WE’RE TAKING FIRE!

TAGGART BLOODY CHRIST!

FUCK!

QUAID SHE WAS RIGHT!

REEVES EVASIVE MANEUVERS!

BECKELL SHIT!

GARDNER

FUCK YOU GARDNER OPENS FIRE ON THE APPROACHING AICHI, the ENTIRE pod rattling and shaking viciously as the machine gun rattles violently between her legs BRAKABRAKA BRAKABRAKA BRAKABRAKAHIT! Gardner’s fire blows a hole clean through the Aichi’s wing- it banks sharply, smoke erupting from its fuselage as it drops back, forced to retreat into the cloudsThe B-17 BANKS SHARPLY stopping Gardner from finishing the Aichi off, her shots going wild into the cloud. Gardner clutches the gun tightly, eyes locked on the disappearing shadow in the cloud. REEVES All stations REPORT, NOW. FINCH All clear up here. QUAID Nothing on top turret. FUCK!

BECKELL

DORN Beckell you okay? BECKELL Yeah I’m just- JESUS FUCK, one of’em whizzed right past my faceDORN You’re okay.

37. Gardner seems to snap out of it, releasing the gun controls. Her hands shake. She struggles to steady them as the men go back and forth on a systems report, and then: TAGGART Damage superficial back here, but I’ll need a closer look. QUAID Gardner, you with us? I’m here.

GARDNER What is the state of my-

FINCH She shot the goddamn jap plane, boys, right through the wing clean hit maybe five hundred yardsTAGGART My bloody arse. BECKELL No, I saw it. I saw a smoke trail. GARDNER What is the state of my packageQUAID Your package is fine, m’am. next to me safe and sound-

Right

GARDNER He’s going to be back. If he attacked that means reenforcements are on the way. FRAZELLI It has to be a fluke, right? this close to Hawaii?

Japs

REEVES Probably a scouting mission, use the storm as cover. Finch, get anyone you can on the horn, we need help up here. FINCH Yes sir Captain. REEVES Dropping to four thousand feet. Might get a little choppy.

38. DORN We gonna ignore the elephant in the room? We have Annie Oakley in the belly turret. GARDNER They give us the same training they give you, boys. Some men actually want to win this war. DORN How’d you end up out here in the war, gal pretty as youGARDNER Not everybody’s happy at home being somebody’s wife. (beat) Gardner’s my maiden name. I go by it overseas because there’s fifty Johnsons at every base I hit. Sorry to disappoint you, Captain Reeves, but I’m not a nazi yet. Johnson’s my husband. REEVES Doesn’t explain why you have a gun, Mrs. Johnson. She cringes at the name. DORN You’re married! Damn it, after shootin’ that good I was ready to propose. GARDNER I thought I was too much of a “cunt” for you, Dorn. DORN Well somebody’s gotta teach you how to act right. There’s a rattle of turbulence. A pause. storm below here. Closer and closer.

Maude eyes the

GARDNER You boys ever seen combat before? FRAZELLI Everyone but me.

39. GARDNER How you doing up there, Frazelli? FRAZELLI A little- uh- can I- can I venture a guess at you, Gardner? Sure.

GARDNER

FRAZELLI Are you a real homely type girl, like a school teacher type? GARDNER (deep breath) .........What makes you say that? FRAZELLI No offense, pretty broads don’t know stuff, couldn’t- y’know, you’re smart, seem like you got a lotta stuff goin’ on upstairs. Ugly broads don’t know nothin’ either. It’s them down the middle type gals is where the brains is at, like my girl Rose back home, married three years now. (starting to lose it) You’d never see her in a beauty pageant, but I can talk to her all night and day and she’ll always have a joke or some kinda smart opinion, great dame, Rose, great dame, light of my life really, I think sheFrazelli.

REEVES Cool it.

FRAZELLI (mutters) Yeah, yeah. GARDNER I’m sure Rose misses you, Frazelli. FRAZELLI Yeah I suppose it’s- I don’t know maybe I’m getting a little- lonely for her and you, you know. Maybe I get lonely sometimes, out here, and now the japs, it’s like where’s it end-

40.

Cool it.

REEVES

FRAZELLI Yeah well I- fuck, Captain, we just lost engine three. DORN Looks fine from here. FRAZELLI It’s not responding. Gardner rotates the pod, looking over at Engine 3 on the port wing. It’s spinning noticeable different and then- on the underside of the wingA panel bursts off, and the gremlin scurries out, swinging along the bottom of the wing, hanging in the intense winds. Gardner PRIMES HER GUN, trying to lift them up to aim at the gremlin- but the pod can’t shoot that close to the plane, the hydraulics clicking and jerking against their restraintsShit.

GARDNER

The gremlin “laughs” hysterically, curious about her, and rapidly approaches, standing right between the two gun barrels, clinging to the pod. We can see that it’s chewing mouthfuls of metal. It swallows, then humps the outside of the pod, rubbing its face against the glass so hard its face stretches gruesomely, pulling down its eyelids so we can see into the pink red of the socketslicks the outside of the pod, then laughs again. DORN Did anybody just hear something?

Yep.

GARDNER (flatly)

FINCH Cap there’s a problem with the radio. (MORE)

41. FINCH (CONT'D) The wiring...On the longwave, shortwave, everything- the wiring has been- torn or somethingCaptain we are TOTALLY OUT OF COMMUNICATION HERE, we’ve got no way to talk to anybo- FUCK! There’s a thud on his mic. The gremlin’s ears perk up and it snickers, and again slowly drags its face across the plexiglass inches from GardnerFinch?

REEVES

FINCH Someone- how the hell- someone unscrewed the base of my seat. The hell is going on on this plane, it’s like someone’s doin’ a trick or treatGARDNER (forcing it out) I have visual on... The gremlin begins rapidly disassembling the turret’s gun. GARDNER (CONT’D) There- that’s- there’s(falters, spits it out) There’s an animal on board this plane. Some kind of- animal that eats metal, sir. It’s been onboard since take off. I’m looking at it right now. The gremlin yanks the last of the left barrel of the turret out, and immediately tries to shove its arm in through the hole it createdGardner blocks it with her foot. REEVES .....What is this, some kind of joke? GARDNER (keeping calm) Beckell, you saw it, didn’t you? I- I did.

BECKELL

42. QUAID Are you saying there’s a gremlin on board, Gardner? Yes Quaid.

BECKELL

QUAID You’re better than this. need to lie any more-

You don’t

BECKELL She’s not lying, it’s a gremlin. Gardner is shocked, and can’t contain a muted reaction: of all these mooks, BECKELL is the one on her side? A what?

TAGGART

FINCH (so annoyed) Like the cartoon?

GARDNER No sir, the real deal. She stomps its hand, and the gremlin pulls back, going out up top, ripping open three panels on the belly of the plane as it goes, exposing hydraulic wiresIt yanks them out, like pulling veins from a wrist- beforeducking up into the wing above it- and vanishing into the inner workingsFRAZELLI Cap controls on the wings just went screwy- this goddamn plane is falling apart- SHIT SHITThe plane LURCHES DOWN AND FORWARD, and Gardner’s pod swings wildly turning her directly towards the storm clouds- she braces herself, and the plane evens outREEVES What happened? FRAZELLI We lost control of the vertical access for a second- the hydraulics are all screwyGARDNER That’s cause they’re hanging out of the bottom of the plane.

43. BECKELL It’s a fucking gremlin, Gardner’s right. There’s something on this plane with us. REEVES No, no, NO. It is not a gremlin, a gremlin is not an animal, a gremlin is someone else’s fuck up, it means someone fucked up and you’re blamin’ Santa Claus, it is a passthe-buck-ism, not a literal animalBECKELL I saw a fuckin’ blue and orange monkey out on the port tailfin, that’s what I’m sayin’ to you, and the broad could not have known that from down there, Cap. REEVES You’ve lost your mind. TAGGART Sabotage, Captain. You had the right idea. It’s whatever’s in that bag. TAGGART (CONT’D) She put the idea of the monkey in your headGARDNER He brought it up himself! TAGGART After you put it in his headGARDNER That’s not what happened! DORN (quietly) The hell is that? FINCH Maybe everyone should calm down, focus on the japsQUAID Finch is right, we can talk to her when we land-

44. GARDNER Oh is that what’s gonna happen Quaid? QUAID I just meantDORN (quietly) Um- boys IBECKELL She didn’t put shit in my head, I know what I saw and she saw it tooDORN The monkey’s on starboard wing right now. Prop two. Beat of silence. What?

FINCH What’d you just say?

DORN Look for your fuckin selves. Gardner rotates her pod to the wing, but she can only see the underside. On the comm, there’s silence. FINCH Holy mackerel. Oh my god.

QUAID

FRAZELLI The hell is going on back there? REEVES Report your visual, now. GARDNER Quaid, what do you see? QUAID There’s...some kind of animal orit’s sitting on the propeller just ripping its guts out and eating handfuls of metal from the insideFINCH It’s like a big lemur or something, cap, and it’s- it’s laughing at us-

45. There’s a LOUD POP and SMOKE FLOODS OUT OF PROP 2 from the wing above Gardner. FRAZELLI We lost prop 2, cap, we’re down to two engines now- we’re losing speedREEVES Report what you actually see. GARDNER They are sir, there’s an animal of some kind on the plane and it’s attacking and destroying theREEVES You shut up. DORN Where’d it go? QUAID It’s in the smoke. It went down into the wing. Gardner, it’s- it’s headed towards you. Gardner swivels her turret, trying to get out of the smoke. They’re getting nearer and nearer to the cloud. REEVES You’re all seeing things. TAGGART It’s her. It’s whatever she’s got in that package, it’s the japs, it’s the gremlin, they’re connectedREEVES Could be something. warfare.

Psychological

DORN Are you telling me I’m hallucinating? REEVES We’re all just jumpy from the attack, Taggart’s right, this can’t be a coincidence. GARDNER That package is not effecting anything on this plane.

46. QUAID I don’t think that’s rightTAGGART The hell would you know QuaidREEVES Staff Sergeant Quaid, open that package. Gardner braces herself. Her eyes look wild. They’re getting closer and closer to the clouds. For the first time, she seems truly rattled and anxious; not just afraid, or shocked, but terrified. QUAID I- no, sir. There’s a beat. in horror.

Gardner is squeezing her fists to her face

REEVES You are denying a direct order. QUAID I just- the paper said not to open the package- maybe that’s why the japs areTAGGART You didn’t read the bloody paper, open it now. QUAID Sir I justREEVES Open that package. BECKELL Cap she wasn’t lying about the japs, she wasn’t lying about the monkey, maybe we shouldREEVES There is no monkeyBECKELL WE ALL SEEN THE DAMN MONKEY, CAP! You’re the only one up in the cockpit who ain’t seen shit! Gardner kicks the ball turret repeatedly in frustration.

47. REEVES Dorn, retrieve the package from Quaid and place him under arrest. Sir-

DORN

REEVES Now. Whatever’s in that package is what’s causing the failures on this plane. DORN But- Yes sir. GARDNER Please don’t do this. Shut up.

TAGGART

GARDNER Please don’t do this please don’t do this please don’t do thisGardner is, for the first time, actually becoming hysterical. Abuse from the men, turbulence from the storm, attacks by the enemy, sexual assault by a LITERAL MONSTER- now this. Gardner hears a noise behind her and turns: THE GREMLIN IS PERCHED ON HER POD AGAIN, one by one UNSCREWING THE BOLTS HOLDING THE TURRET TO THE PLANEGardner turns, slamming her hand against the glass, face frozen as she watches, helpless, as the gremlin goes about its work. She watches powerlessly as the Gremlin unravel her physical world, and she listens helplessly as her mental world is picked apart in an unseen confrontation above her. DORN Alright, Walt. Hand it over. No.

QUAID

DORN The hell are you at, are you with her on this? QUAID I’m not giving you squat.

48. The gremlin turns, smiling at her, and undoes two more bolts, before licking the outside of the pod. GARDNER (quietly) Quaid... DORN What’s gonna stop me taking the radio bag from you, city boy. TAGGART Just grab it, Dorn. He’s out numbered three to oneFINCH Quaid don’t be dummy, hereGardner is crying, flinching at every word, then: Christ!

FINCH (CONT’D)

TAGGART Bloody hell, have you lost your mind-

DORN Take your hand off your gun Quaid. BACK OFF.

QUAID

DORN TAKE YOUR HAND OFF YOUR GUN RIGHT NOWQUAID I SAID BACK THE HELL OFF METhe gremlin pulls two more bolts. GARDNER QUAID JUST GIVE IT TO HIM JUST GIVE HIM THE PACKAGE! There’s a beat of silence.

Rustling.

And then.

DORN Aw hell, Walt. There’s the sound of soft, high pitch crying on the radio. REEVES (deadly quiet) What the hell is that.

49.

No way.

FRAZELLI

The Gremlin suddenly stops antagonizing Gardner, its ears perking up. BECKELL That can’t be what it sounds like, right? Right? It is. DORN You gotta be fuckin kidding: there’s a baby in here. The Gremlin suddenly darts off, swinging up and around and out of sight. Gardner, shaking with anxiety, screams in anguish and frustration and pounds at the hatch. DORN (CONT’D) This little guy’s only a week or so old, he shouldn’t be up hereQUAID Gimme the baby back, Dorn. DORN No sir, I’m taking it up to Reeves. QUAID (dead fury) Give me my son right now. There’s a beat. BECKELL No fuckin’ way. DORN ...Well shit, Walt.... A beat. (beat) Thank you.

QUAID

The baby’s crying slowly stops. Everyone on board is quiet. Gardner snorts back tears, trying to calm herself, wiping bloody hair out of her face.

50. GARDNER I’m sorry, Walt. FINCH This is your kid...with her? thought she was married-

But I

TAGGART I didn’t sign on to the airforce to be some slut’s taxi serviceGardner starts to respond but she’s cut off: QUAID You shut your fucking mouth. TAGGART Whatchu gonna do yaQUAID If you think I’m letting you touch this baby you stupid Scottish piece of shit you have LOST your TINY LITTLE MIND, and that goes for the whole crew. I’m sick of listening to her put up with all of your endless fucking nonsense, she saved all your lives today, she’s twice the airman any of you are. I had to stow it for the flight but that’s over now and until we land one of you speaks one more wrong word to Maude and I’ll come down out the fucking turret and knock his head off, ARE WE CLEAR? ... WELL FUCK QUAID, BETTER LATE THAN NEVER. DORN Shit, Walt. We would’ve never talked that way if we knew she was your girl. OH FOR FUCKSAKES. BECKELL What about the monkey? TAGGART Forget the bloody monkey, it’s some sort of trick. The plane has been sabotaged. (MORE)

51. TAGGART (CONT'D) Even if we land, you have any idea how fucked you are, Quaid? Gardner loses it. GARDNER It wasn’t his idea, it was mine. He didn’t even know I was going to be on this flight, he was as surprised as the rest of you. BECKELL But...she had that order from ReigertGARDNER I am Maude Johnson. Gardner is my maiden name. My husband’s a realhe’s a real shitty type of guy. Drunk. Gets...physical. Parents got us married right outta high school cause there was a rumor about me being some kinda loose woman and they wanted to stop that quick. So first opportunity I had I got the hell out of there and joined up; I was always good with cars so I figured engineering was good and I ended up in Europe, then here. The storm crackles beneath her. Gardner stares into it. This is the end. She gives up, laughing to herself. GARDNER (CONT’D) So by the time I met a fellah I did like of course I had to keep it secret. I never had a bump or nothing like that, just started feeling sicker and sicker and knew I was either dying or having a baby so... (laughs darkly) I thought I had food poisoning. There’s a beat of silence, Maude processing.

52. GARDNER (CONT’D) I am not going back to be dishonorably discharged for fraternization with no pay back to Indiana some that drunk can choke me to death for fucking another man and my baby can end up an orphan or worse. I couldn’t let that happen, so...so... (beat) So I faked an injury transfer to Hickham, forged a confidential transfer from Bradshaw. I figured the wires would be crossed enough I could go AWOL from Port. A beat. FRAZELLI Why didn’t you just ask for transfer? Any sergeant or corporal could’ve swapped you to Oahu, shit, I couldaGardner snaps. GARDNER Who was going to do that? You? Sorry but none of you boys sound ready to do a woman who cheated on her husband any favors, do you? (lets this hang, then) But I still went. I STILL went to Major Reigert. I told him what happened, I bared my fucking heart, and you know what he said? (beat) I should’ve kept my legs closed. I said well what do I do now that I didn’t... (beat) He said “throw the baby in the ocean and try to forget about it.” QUAID Why didn’t you tell me? GARDNER Why would I, Walt? What were you gonna do. You don’t want a kid. You’re a staff sergeant, what’re you gonna do, change the world?

53. QUAID Why didn’t you tell me? GARDNER (near tears) Cause what could I do? What the hell could you do, I didn’t wanna do that to you. I didn’t wanna take your life away too. (beat) All I had to do was to get through this one flight. Just eighty minutes field to field. All I had to do is just this one thing, and now... She trails off. REEVES Miss Gardner, Mr. Quaid, as of right now both of you are under arrest by order of the United States Airforce. She quits.

She gives up.

There’s a beat.

She slouches back in her seat.

More turbulence.

FRAZELLI Captain, I can keep us up but with only two engines there’s a good chance we won’t make it to the airfield. This might be a rough landing. BECKELL ...I have eyes on the enemy. DORN You see the monkey? No.

BECKELL Six o’clock.

Gardner shakes herself out of it and rotates the pod- IT DROPS OUT OF PLACE, its UNSTEADY MOORINGS now loose- she can’t swivel, she can’t shoot- FUCKAnd yep. There, on the horizon. Bursting up from under the storm: Five Japanese Zeros, the notorious backbone of the Japanese Airforce, piranha of the sky chasing after the wounded whale of the B-17-

54. DORN Confirmed Five Zekes coming up right behind usREEVES We can out run them. GARDNER Zeros aren’t fast enough to catch us with this much of a head start, but with our engines outREEVES You’re under arrest, don’t make me mute the commFRAZELLI She’s right, Cap, if we keep pace they’ll be on us in three minutesGARDNER My gun’s out down here, andBECKELL Did you hear that? DORN I heard it, son, the hell is that racket? TAGGART (in awe) Something’s on the top of the plane. Gardner’s eyes widen, as she looks up. Quaid-

GARDNER

QUAID It’s- I see it- THE THING’S ON MY TURRET, THE THING IS ON THE GODDAMNA shattering sound- CRASHING- THE GREMLIN’S SCREAMING LAUGHTER- NOISES OF RIPPING AND SCREAMING IN PAINDORN It’s killing him! A GUNSHOT-

TAGGART HOLY MARY MOTHER OF GOD-

THE AUDIO FEED CUTS OUT.

Gardner sits in silence.

55. The silence holds.

Rumbling thunder.

Faint static in her headset. There’s a rattle of turbulence and the turret comes further loose- two more shakes and it’s going to fall off into the storm and then the three thousand feet below thatWalt? Silence.

GARDNER Please Walt, say something.

Distant baby screaming. GARDNER (CONT’D) Please Walt. Please say something. You have to say something now. (beat) Walt I hate my fucking husband and I hate the airforce and I hate pretty much everyone I meet except my one friend Clare, back home, and you. And I’m probably never gonna...gonna see Clare again, okay so you have to talk, now. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I was scared you’d leave. Please say something Walt.

There’s silence. The Japanese planes grow closer. headphones crackle back in.

Her

DORN There’s blood everywhere up here. The top turret’s all torn to hell. Quaid’s down, and... (beat) The fucking thing...The fucking thing took the goddamn baby. Gardner tries to speak. Can’t. Her eyes swivel around in her head. She SCREAMS but no sound comes out, veins and muscles on her neck and face bulging. And then she sees it: The gremlin is on the back of the wing. It rips up a flap to protect itself from the wind, and then sets the radio bag down in front of itself, where she can see, hooking the strap on a torn piece of metal. Gardner’s face loses all emotion. She cannot look away. Behind her, the Japanese fighters are closer and closer. Beneath her, the storm is rising up to meet them.

56. The gremlin looks over at her, and grins. It pulls open the satchel. And licks her baby’s exposed head. Time seems to slow down. All the sound drops out. Gardner is utterly alone. GARDNER (whispers) None of this matters. matters.

Nothing

Gardner laughs oddly, and then settles into an oddly casual, disjointed tone, completely broken as she stares at the Gremlin. GARDNER (CONT’D) This is just another day, right. That’s what you don’t get is this is just another day, for me; you boys it’s this big calamity but every fuckin day I wake up and the whole world feels like it’s just bearing right down on me, just needling in just drilling me down since I was a little girl. You got the world leaning on you, you’re just trapped in a glass box with men stopping you from getting out and there’s the problems you expect to have, and then there’s always some...other thing, some crazy fucking other thing like your body turning on you or somethin’ breaking down or a fucking MONSTER. (she stares at the gremlin) And then when you get the guy you think you can lean on when it comes down to it where’s he, he’s just as useless as everyone else, and you’re alone. I’m alone again, well FUCK YOU, I had a plan for today. I had a plan for today and this doesn’t change it, this doesn’t change anything. If nothing matters why should I give up? Tell me one reason why I should give up. You don’t want to help me, okay. No one can do this for me? Well FINE. Fine then. Fine. I’ll do it myself. (MORE)

57. GARDNER (CONT’D) (beat) I’ll do by my goddamn self. Sound fades back in- ZEROES FLY PAST FIRING MACHINE GUNS BLAZING THE TURRETS FIRING BACK AS THE STORM CRASHES LIGHTNING AND THUNDER BELOW THEM AND THE GREMLIN SHRIEKS MAD LAUGHTER THE MEN BARKING BACK AND FORTH OVER THE COMMS--BECKELL

WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE! Gardner KICKS OPEN THE BACK HATCH OF THE POD, leaning out, bracing herself against the sides of the pod. The Gremlin turns, confusedGARDNER You don’t know how far I’ll go! (at the gremlin) YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW FAR I’LL GO! The Gremlin flinches, and then Gardner pulls herself out of the turret pod onto the exposed hydraulic cables OUT OVER A FOUR THOUSAND FOOT DROPFUCK MOVIE WHAT ARE YOU DOINGTHE PLANE AT LAST DROPS BACK INTO THE CLOUDS-

THE WIND IS DEAFENING AS WE PULL 155 MILES PER HOUR THROUGH A TROPICAL STORMHolding on to the cables, pressed against the underbelly against the fierce winds, Gardner draws her pistol and OPENS FIRE ON THE GREMLIN! The gremlin shrieks, fleeing out of sight up the plane, leaving the radio bag behind- it slides, and then the strap gets caught on the broken flap, dangling the radio bag right up to the edge of the wingGardner screams and thenA BURST OF MACHINE GUN FIRE FROM A JAPANESE FIGHTER BLOWS APART THE TURRET POD BEHIND HER, SHEERING IT CLEAN OFF THE BOTTOM OF THE PLANE- FUCK She grabs the loose structural piping- bends the end- and then sticks out out towards the- FUCK NO WAY- sticks it out towards the dangling radio bagSHE’S TRYING TO HOOK IT- she MISSES- IT SLIDES FURTHER-

58. JESUS CHRIST MOVIE WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME RIGHT NOWGardner tries again- hooks the strap- FUCK BUT THE WEIGHT AND THE WIND RESISTANCE- she hooks her legs into the cables and pulls with both armsTHE HOOKED radio bag IS WHIPPED BACKAnd she’s able to reel it in, pulling it to her body. Sheltering the radio bag from the winds, she looks in at her infant son’s face. He is screaming. But she can hear nothing over the storm and wind, trapped in the hydraulics now with nowhere to go...The guns above her suddenly start firing, and Maude looks up just in time to seeA Japanese fighter BLOW BY FIRING ITS MACHINE GUNS SHREDDING A HOLE INTO THE SIDE OF THE B-17 above her. Maude looks up to the rain and wind: she has no choice. She blindly swings the radio bag up, and into the hole above her...Then crawls- slips- crawls forward on the hydraulicsslips againHooks an arm- Can’t reach- pushes her self more out of the hydraulics, stretching her body andOH MY GOD WE’RE OUT OF THE BOTTOM OF THE CLOUD AND GARDNER NOW HANGS ABOVE A THREE THOUSAND FOOT DROP INTO THE PACIFIC OCEAN BELOW HER Gorwing ever closer is the shore of Oahu, all mountains and jungle, The plane starts to bank to the right- Gardner has to hold on for dear life, bracing herself against the bellyBut this new angle allows her different leverage- she tenses against the hydraulics and pushes herself up- around- her arms pulling her up but OH NO her legs come free of the hydraulicsFor a moment she hangs by her arms, her legs kicking uselessly at nothing out over the oceanA Zero Fighter comes hurtling towards them but is CAUGHT WITH A BURST OF FIRE FROM THE TAIL GUNS OF THE B-17It EXPLODES!-- THE SHOCKWAVE FLINGING GARDNER UP INTO

59. INT. THE FOOL’S ERRAND - MAIN CABIN - CONTINUOUS WE’RE BACK IN THE PLANE as GARDNER IS FLUNG SO VIOLENTLY she literally hits the ceiling before crashing back to the floor. Wind howls through the cabin, which is now ventilated with bullet holes as the plane continues tippingDorn, firing his waste gun, turns, shocked, staring at Gardner. How the hell did she- that’s impossible, HOW THE HELL DID she get back into the plane. DORN Well I’ll be damned. JAPANESE MACHINE GUN FIRE BLOWS THROUGH DORN, SPLATTERING HIM INTO AN UGLY MEMORY and OPENING UP THE PLANE FURTHER. Gardner, sprayed with Dorn’s blood, falls backwards, gasping, and then sees her radio bag. Her baby’s arm is reached out, grasping at nothingShe scrambles towards itMACHINE GUN FIRE CUTS THROUGH BETWEEN THEM, inches from her baby- and she FALLS AGAIN onto her back, this time all the way til she’s back to back with BeckellBECKELL (startled) The fu- Gardner, how in the hellGARDNER Why are we turning? What!?

BECKELL HOW ARE YOU HERE!?

There’s the noise of another fighter coming zooming inBeckell turns and fires the gunsGardner can’t wait for help, screw it: she begins to RUN UP THE CABIN OF THE PLANE, grabbing up the radio bag- slipping and sliding on the remains of DornHere’s Taggart- BEING ATTACKED BY THE GREMLIN- WILDLY WAVING HIS GUNTAGGART Get this thing off me, CHRISTSAKES GET IT OFF ME-

60. Gardner immediately tries to help- but Taggart flails and his gun goes off INCHES FROM HER HEAD- she staggers back, falling against the wall, holding her head in one hand and protectively clutching the radio bag with the otherTaggart trips and falls onto the bomb-bay hatchThe gremlin leaps off of him- up to the bombardier positionNO NO-

TAGGART (CONT’D)

The Gremlin laughs and yanks the lever so hard it TEARS OFF, OPENING THE HATCH- Taggart’s scream fades instantly as he’s dropped out of the planeThe Gremlin lurches towards Gardner who tries to dart past itno dice it claws her face and GRABS AT THE radio bag- she topples into the OPEN BOMB-BAY DOORS WHAT COME ONShe catches herself on the ledge, rolling off- the Gremlin tries to shove her in and she simply jerks backCAUSING THE GREMLIN TO TOPPLE OUT THE HATCH- HAHAHA FUCK YOU YOU STUPID MONKEY YOU CAN’T- The Gremlin flings out its arms, revealing flying-squirrel type webbed wingsOH NO IT’S FLYING RIGHT BACK UP TOWARDS USAs Gardner scrambles to her feet, the Gremlin flies around to the hole she originally climbed in throughGardner stands, staring at her baby, then takes a few stumbling steps forward- towards the cockpit, in an adrenaline dazeThere’s the noise of an oncoming Japanese fighterGardner STEPS UP INTO THE RADIO-MAN’S TURRET AND OPENS FIREAs she engages with the Zero, the plane flies out of the storm- INTO BLUE SKIES AND STARTLING SUNLIGHTBut also revealing they are now flying dangerously low through the mountains of OahuShe tags the Japanese fighter’s cockpit and the plane veers off, the glass inside now splattered with redThe Gremlin POPS UP RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE PLANE, GRABS THE RADIO-MAN GUN, AND RIPS IT OUT OF ITS MOORINGS-

61. Gardner ducks back into the cabin as another fighter blows past above herShe pushes forward to the cockpit- which has already been sprayed with enemy fire. There’s blood on everything, FRAZELLI is hurt but still manning the controls, but Captain Reeves badly injuredGardner pulls him out of his chairFRAZELLI Wha- GARDNER? How the hell did youA zero BLOWS PAST, and the gunfire shatters the cockpitspraying all three of them with glassGARDNER Captain can you hear me? Reeves spits blood, his wounds grotesque and pumping red all over Gardner. He whispers something. What?

GARDNER (CONT’D) What’d you say?

REEVES Too far...we’re too low. GARDNER Stay with meREEVES ...we’re too far...plane’s too damaged...going to crash. GARDNER Stay with meREEVES Too far...too fReeves dies in Gardner’s arms. She blinks. Shakes her head. Blinks again, trying to pull herself out of it. FRAZELLI I can’t see anything, does Finch have eyes? Cap! Cap? He’s dead. fuel!

GARDNER We’re TOO LOW, dump the

62. FRAZELLI DUMP THE- what’re you talking about, ladyGARDNER We’ve gotta be dead weight when we hit or we’ll explodeFRAZELLI When we hit? GardnerGARDNER DUMP THE FUEL, NOW. Frazelli looks at her, and then: hits the tank dump- FUEL BLOWS OUT THE BACK OF THE AIRCRAFTGARDNER (CONT’D) KEEP US LEVEL! Gardner ducks down and climbs quickly into the bombardier compartment, the bright, open glass bubble on the nose of the planeFinch is firing away on his 50 caliber! As a Zero banks ahead of him, he catches it, and it goes spiralling off and CRASHES INTO THE JUNGLENow only five hundred or so feet below- christ they’re going RIGHT THROUGH THE MOUNTAINSFINCH I’M TAKING YOU FUCKS DOWN WITH ME, I’M TAKING YOU FUCKS DOWN WIFINCH!

GARDNER

Finch turns, confused. FINCH Who the fuck are(realizing, amazed) How didjaGardner pushes further in and realizes there’s only mountains and trees in the dawn light, we are WAY too lowGARDNER Where’s Hickham Field?

63. FINCH We got way off course! Came in too far east, we’re over Manoa, there’s nowhere to land! There’s a valley up there but there’s only one road in and out, it’s all farms! What’s Reeves sayGARDNER Reeves is dead! FINCH Reeves is what?! GARDNER REEVES IS DEAD! Strap in, I’m landing it! FINCH WHAT IS THAT A JOKE!? GARDNER I’m landing this fucking plane! Gardner pulls out of the bombardier cabin- AND BEHIND HER IT IS IMMEDIATELY EVISCERATED BY MACHINE GUN FIRE, FINCH DISAPPEARING IN A CLOUD OF BLOOD AND GLASS! Gardner stumbles forward, dropping to her knees. The noise of the propellers is deafening. baby to her chest.

She clutches her

The plane has started to tilt entirely to the right, slowly changing the geometry of the hallway. Walls are slowly turning into floors and ceilings, floors and ceilings into wallsTighter. Tighter. Tighter. She’s crushing it. A bloody hand grips her arm. Hey.

QUAID Easy.

HOLY SHIT IT’S QUAID! Quaid’s alive?! spent the night in a blender but- YES! He is definitely...ALIVEish!

He looks like he just Alive and well! Ish!

64. Gardner stares at him, uncomprehending. And then her grip loosens on the radio bag- Quaid takes her in his arms, cradling her and the baby briefly. GARDNER The- Quaid- you- but I didn’t see you- you’reQUAID You stepped...You stepped right over meGARDNER Oh god Walt I’m sorry, you’re alive, you’re alive! She grabs his head, pressing it to her own, and then we hear: FUCK!

BECKELL SHIT!

Down at the back of the plane, the gremlin is attacking Beckell- Gardner stands up, shoving Quaid down into the navigator’s seat behind the cockpit, and strapping him in. She pushes the radio bag to his chest.

They lock eyes.

GARDNER Don’t let this go. QUAID Never would. Gardner stands up, drawing her pistol as down the plane Beckell is pulled out of his seat by the gremlin, clawing and slashing at him wildly, laughing hystericallyHEY YOU!

GARDNER

The gremlin looks up and Gardner takes a shot at it- missesthe Gremlin scampers up the plane towards her- she fires again and it hides behind a bulkheadBLAM! BECKELL Fuck you monkey! Beckell has pulled his own side arm and is FIRING UP THE PLANE AT THE GREMLIN- The gremlin, realizing it’s monkey-inthe-middle, begins laughing hysterically and leaping around wildly-

65. Gardner and Beckell both open fire- their shots ricocheting around each otherGARDNER Shit Beckell hold your fBECKELL SHOOTS GARDNER IN THE ARM, spinning her aroundBECKELL (horrified) SHIT! Gardner eats it hard into the deck and the Gremlin chargesshe raises her gun and fires once, hitting the gremlin in the arm- it screams and falls backwards out the hole in the side of the planeBECKELL (CONT’D) Shit, I’m sorryStrap in. What!?

GARDNER BECKELL

Gardner shoves herself to her feet, her face ashen, blood dripping off her fingers. Strap in!

GARDNER

BECKELL (off her look) Oh, shit! Gardner lurches to the cockpit, past Quaid, and falls into the seat next to Frazelli, straps in- grabbing the controlsHOLY FUCK THE TREES ARE RIGHT UNDER THEM- but beyond that- a field- the farmsGARDNER LEAN INTO ITWHAT?

FRAZELLI

GARDNER We gotta roll it! FRAZELLI B-17’s can’t roll!

66. GARDNER We’re gonna turn straight into the ground and eat it face first, we’re halfway there just push it through, PUSH IT THROUGHFRAZELLI OUR AOA is FUCKED we’re deadstick and weGardner PUSHES THROUGH THE ROLL until they are COMPLETELY UPSIDE DOWNFRAZELLI (CONT’D) The fuckin....uhhhhGARDNER ROLL THROUGH, PITCH US UPWARD. We’re ditching right there. Frazelli joins her on the controls flipping switches to trim the vertical angle of the crashing fortressFRAZELLI What’re you seeing I can’t see shitI can’t see shitGardner stares out through the shattered glass. clear. A field and then-

The trees

FRAZELLI (CONT’D) We’re not gonna make it right side up- we’re not gonnaFuck it.

GARDNER

Gardner turns the rudder, the vehicle is now flying UPSIDEDOWN A few DOZEN above the ground SLOWLY STARTING TO ROTATEthe wing cutting a path through the field- rotates- rotates andBlood drips off her hand from her arm wound onto the controlsshe won’t let go. Gardner turns to Quaid, who’s holding the radio bag. stairs at the radio bag, and then-

IMPACT.

She

67. (((MAUDE IS VIOLENTLY WHIPPED AROUND IN HER SEAT- we see nothing of the crash around her, experiencing only her part of it, locked on her face as she’s JERKED BACK AND FORTH AND FINALLY...))) ... Stillness. Groaning. plane. Nothingness.

The sound of fires burning on the

Gardner inhales, and then, she laughs. Smiles a bloody, dazed smile. She did it. She’s alive. She won. And that’s when she realizes what the silence actually means:

They’re all dead. Everyone on the plane is dead. But Maude.

She stares straight ahead into shattered glass.

She’s alone in a twisted mess of wreckage. was for nothing.

All her effort

Somewhere behind her, her baby is dead, a mottled raspberry smear in a crushed radio bag. Quaid, the one man she could count on, is a twisted mess of broken bones laying in a pile of his own torn out intestines. Tears come quickly, her face wrenching and contorting as she stares straight ahead through the shattered cockpit. She can’t look. She can’t bring herself to look. Everything she’d tried for. Everything she’d sacrificed. Gone. It didn’t matter that she landed the plane. She ended up back where she started. With nothing. And no one. Gardner closes her breathing slowly...as we slowly...push in...on her face...

68. ... A new noise: A baby begins to cry. She turns, and sees Quaid drop out of his seat; banged up and bloody, but...holy shit waitGARDNER (CONT’D) You’re alive. YOU’RE ALIVE YOU’RE ALIVE! QUAID YOU’RE ALIVEQUAID (weakly) So far... Frazelli coughs in the seat next to her, barely conscious. From somewhere deeper in the plane, we hear: BECKELL (O.S.) ARE YOU ALL DEAD? Beckell?

GARDNER

Beckell staggers up the plane. BECKELL Hey ma we were upside down! Fuck me, you landed it! Holy mackerel, you landed the damn thingGARDNER There’ll be fuel in the linesFrazelli coughs again, dazed, tryign to unbuckle himself. BECKELL Hey I’m sorry I uh- you know- shot you, thereGARDNER There’ll be fuel in the lines still, the engines are burning, we have to get outta here. BECKELL Right, yeah- uhGARDNER Help me with Frazelli?

69. BECKELL Yeah no problemo. Beckell, now the least injured man on crew, helps Gardner pull Frazelli out of his seat. She unbuckles Quaid, and then falls onto him. The two of them brace against each other, and Quaid helps her stand... QUAID Come on, come on... Quaid, carrying the crying napsack, Gardner and Beckell, supporting Frazelli, make their way to the bomb-bay doors, now sticking out horizontally into pineapple bushesThere’s a fwwwtttt noise from the wingGARDNER That’s the fuel lines, go!

GO!

EXT. PINEAPPLE FARM - WRECK OF THE FOOL’S ERRAND - DAWN The four survivors struggle through the bushes away from the burning hulk of the B-17 and then- fire spreads to the left wing- which EXPLODES INTO FLAME. Gardner, Quaid, Beckell and Frazelli come to rest on a DIRT FARM ROAD, watching the plane burn. Beckell sets down Frazelli and immediately looks around, panicked. BECKELL Where’s the zeroes? goddamn zeroes?

Where’s the

QUAID I think we got’em all, Beckell. Beckell, staring back at the wreck, lets out a victorious whoop...then breathes slower, and slower... Then begins to sob, the adrenaline finally wearing off as he drops to his knees, staring in shock. Gardner stares at the burning plane, standing over Quaid, holding her shot arm. QUAID (CONT’D) They were good men. Sorry they were such...shits to you.

70. GARDNER Yeah well. (beat) What is a “good man,” Quaid? Quaid’s silent, and then both their eyes drift to the silent bag. After a beat, he opens it. Gardner looks in slowly. The eyes of her baby, its face covered in ash and other people’s blood, look out to meet her. He’s alive. GARDNER (CONT’D) I’m sorry little one. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean for it to be like this. QUAID It’s a miracle. I heard of stuff like this; babies gettin washed overboard on boats and such, but to go through that? He’s a miracTHE GREMLIN POUNCES ON QUAID, SMACKS HIS HEAD HARD INTO THE GROUND AND GRABS THE NAPSACK, RUNNING INTO THE FIELD, LAUGHING HYSTERICALLY AS IT ESCAPES INTO THE NIGHTWHUMPF Gardner TACKLES THE GREMLIN BEFORE IT GETS OFF THE ROAD, pummeling it with her fists- it tries to grab her faceshe BITES OFF THREE OF ITS FINGERS and then grabs it by the tail as it tries to run away, dragging it back- it tears open the top of her jumpsuit butShe just continues punching it in the face again and againthe gremlin shrieks in fear and tries to run again- Gardner isn’t taking that shitShe drags it back pins it down and SHOOTS THE GREMLIN IN THE HEAD THREE TIMES AT POINT BLANK RANGE. It’s dead. Never anyone fuck with Gardner ever again. corps, and kicks it off the road.

She spits on its

Gardner goes over to where Quaid lays dazed, picking him up, cradling him and their son in her arms. His little hand reaches out to grip her finger. BECKELL (re: the gremlin) What the fuck was that thing?

71. Fire slowly spreads onto its body, it burning in the field, its bloodied, broken form slowly turning black. Frazelli pushes himself into a sit up, looking at Gardner, who looks like a full on cave woman at this point, covered in oil, blood and ash. FRAZELLI They’re gonna pin a medal on you, Gardner. The whole bit. GARDNER Yeah, well maybe...they can do it in my cell. BECKELL What’re they...what’re they gonna do now? Her and Quaid, I meanFRAZELLI (beat) Nothin. She had a transfer. I didn’t.

GARDNER

FRAZELLI You did. (beat) From me, remember? Someone musta...musta lost the paper work. Gardner stares at him numbly. BECKELL (getting it) Oh yeah, I uh- I saw that too. Musta been a mix up at the office. Fuckin’...secretary...fuckin dames, am I right, Captain Gardner? Gardner waits a beat, looking up at the sky, then at Beckell and Frazelli, then off into nothing. GARDNER Fuckin’ dames. Gardner spits.

Lit by dawn light and fuel fire...

She smiles. SLAM TO BLACK.