The Last Mission (7)
(beat) Could you kill a friend Mitchell? Taylor walks up. TAYLOR Pritchard wants to see you. Mitchell nods. Stands up. MITCHELL I'll be back. Anderson nods. Mitchell and Taylor walk off. Leaving Anderson alone. EXT. JEEP Pritchard and McTavish stand at the radio. Campbell, Steiner and Fuchs nearby. Faces serious. Mitchell and Taylor walk up. MITCHELL What's going on? PRITCHARD Cairo reports Rommel's departure time has changed. Zero eight hundred. TAYLOR We'll never get inside the perimeter in time. MITCHELL What about taking the shot from outside the perimeter? McTavish snorts. MCTAVISH It's too far. Even for you. MITCHELL So, that's it? PRITCHARD Tell Cairo we're aborting. MITCHELL And after that? PRITCHARD We make our way to the border. Any way we can. EXT. ANDERSON Takes out the photograph of himself, Jack and Samira. Looks at it longingly. His face turns terribly sad. He looks upward. Nods slowly. Then, takes a silencer from his pocket. Removes his pistol from his hip holster. With great effort, he screws the silencer into the barrel. EXT. JEEP With serious glances, the Commandos look to one another. TAYLOR What are our chances? PRITCHARD Not much better than getting into Tobruk. We're wasting time lads. Campbell? See to Anderson. Campbell moves off. TAYLOR How far to the border? PRITCHARD Too far. MCTAVISH And Germans at every oasis in between. McTavish steps forward. MCTAVISH Colonel? The petrol will last two days. Maybe three. PRITCHARD I'm aware Lieutenant. MCTAVISH He'll slow us down. MITCHELL Anxious to get it over with aren't you? Why do you hate him so much? MCTAVISH For the same reason I hate you. You left your men behind. The blood drains from Mitchell's face. Turns white with fury. MITCHELL You know something McTavish? You should have killed me when you had the chance. Mitchell lunges at him. Throwing himself at McTavish. Popping him in the face with his fists. McTavish starts to fall backward. Instead of letting him drop, Mitchell grabs him by the nuts. Gives them a good twist. Taylor steps up to intervene when Mitchell greets him with a quick elbow to the face. Taylor lands on his ass. Nose bleeding. Steiner and Fuchs move forward to break things up. Pritchard holds up his hand and they halt. Mitchell SLAMS McTavish up against the truck. Holds him by the throat with one hand. Crushing his nuts with the other. McTavish cries louder. Turning beet red. Eyes bulging. MITCHELL I think I have your attention. Was I not clear earlier? What did I say? MCTAVISH You...you'd kill me. MITCHELL That's right. PRITCHARD I think you've made your point Mister Mitchell. Mitchell squeezes one last time. McTavish grunts in agony. Then, Mitchell lets go. McTavish drops to the ground. Rolling in pain. PRITCHARD Anderson goes with us. That's final. Campbell walks up. A little stunned. CAMPBELL It's not an issue any longer, sir. All eyes fall on Campbell. EXT. ANDERSON - SECONDS LATER Mitchell, Pritchard and the others race up. Anderson lies motionless. Holding the photograph in one hand. The pistol in the other. A bullet wound drips blood from his temple. After a moment, the men turn and walk off. All except Mitchell. EXT. GULLY - DAWN Mitchell kneels over some rocks, piled on the sand. Anderson's cap rests on top. Mitchell opens his fist. Carter's identity disc in his hand. He looks to the horizon. Reflective. After a moment, he gets up and walks to THE COMMANDOS Preparing to depart. Steiner siphons gasoline from the truck into jerry cans. Fuchs off loads items from the jeep. Taylor packs up the radio. Campbell, the medical supplies. McTavish off loads ammo. Pritchard watches the horizon through binoculars. Mitchell walks up to the jeep. Removes his Boys Gun. Pritchard notices. PRITCHARD Are you going somewhere? MITCHELL Tobruk. You coming? McTavish and Taylor look on. PRITCHARD Are you mad? MCTAVISH We don't have a chance Mitchell. MITCHELL Who's the coward now? McTavish reacts. Mitchell points to the horizon. MITCHELL How long do you think we'll last out there? (to Pritchard) You said it yourself. We'd just as likely get into Tobruk. I say, what the fuck? Let's do it. PRITCHARD The Germans are on alert for- MITCHELL They're looking for commandos. Not a German officer and his prisoners. Pritchard rubs his chin. Pondering. MITCHELL We slip into Tobruk. Just like the plan. MCTAVISH The plan's shot! Rommel leaves five hours earlier than planned. We can't get through the perimeter in time. MITCHELL Yeah. We can't. So I take the shot from the monastery. All faces look at Mitchell. Disbelieving. MCTAVISH That's over a thousand yards. Too far for the Lee Enfield- Pritchard realizes. PRITCHARD But, not a Boys Gun. Mitchell nods. PRITCHARD That cemetery is guarded. MITCHELL We can fix that- MCTAVISH This is madness. Mitchell walks over. MITCHELL McTavish! We've got to see this through. To the end. MCTAVISH Jesus! You sound like him already- MITCHELL How different are we? My men were murdered. I let it happen. So did he. (beat) Anderson didn't like it. Neither do I. But, that's what happened. McTavish looks at Mitchell. A little softer. MITCHELL I can get Rommel. But, I can't do it alone. (pointing) You see that badge on your chest? McTavish looks down. MCTAVISH Yeah. MITCHELL Says the same as mine. Who dares... MCTAVISH Wins. STEINER Wins. PRITCHARD ...Wins. EXT. ROAD - OUTSIDE TOBRUK - DUSK SUPER: H-HOUR MINUS ELEVEN Steiner drives the jeep. Pritchard sits beside. Mitchell in back. Handcuffed. Following, Fuchs drives the truck. McTavish, Taylor and Campbell sit behind the cab. Hands bound. Steiner watches objects appear in the rearview mirror. Getting closer. STEINER Shit. PRITCHARD What? STEINER Military police. GERMAN MP'S ride motorcycles alongside. Each looks at the jeep suspiciously. After a moment, they ignore it. Driving on. EXT. CHECKPOINT Machine guns flank the road on either side. Many German Soldiers stand guard. Searching vehicles and checking id's. It's a traffic jam. Bumper to bumper. Waiting to enter. Lots of shouting. Horns HONK. Steiner drives the jeep to the shoulder and parks. The truck stops behind. Pulling up beside a dusty staff car. Pritchard gets out of the jeep. Walks to the Checkpoint Commander. The Commandos watch. Barely masking their fear. Mitchell included. A dog barks. Mitchell looks over. Cruwell's dog leans out the staff car window. Tail wagging. Cruwell sits beside. Tired-looking. Reviewing reports. Mitchell's transfixed. He knows who Cruwell is. The dog keeps barking. Cruwell looks over. His eyes meet Mitchell's. He looks away. But, feels Mitchell's eyes on him. He looks back. Mitchell stares. Icy. Cruwell gets out of the car. Walks to the jeep. Pritchard watches. Nervous. CRUWELL Name? Rank? MITCHELL Sergeant William Mitchell. Ninth Australian Division. CRUWELL The Ninth? Fought them many times. Marsa Brega. Benghazi- MITCHELL Bir Hacheim. CRUWELL The Ninth wasn't at Bir Hacheim. MITCHELL I was. Cruwell looks at Mitchell. Recalling. Realizes. CRUWELL They were your men. Cruwell softens. His face, almost sympathetic. About to speak but stops. Walks back to the staff car. It drives off. Relieved, Pritchard returns. PRITCHARD Let's go. The jeep drives through the checkpoint and enters the town. INT. CRUWELL'S TENT - NIGHT Cruwell sits on his bunk. Still wearing dusty uniform. Dog at his feet. He holds a photograph. A pretty woman with a beaming toddler in her arms. He touches it as if touching them. There's a SHUFFLING at the door. KEMPKA (O.S.) Sir? Cruwell quickly puts the photo away. CRUWELL Enter. Kempka does. KEMPKA Sir. The Field Marshall will depart at oh eight hundred tomorrow. CRUWELL And the commandos? KEMPKA No sign sir. Cruwell's disgusted. He removes the Iron Cross and tosses it on the ground. Kempka stoops to retrieve it. CRUWELL Leave it. Kempka stands back up. CRUWELL I received it for an ambush. Near Bir Hacheim. Attacked a column trying to escape. Cruwell's face turns dark. He looks off. Remembering. CRUWELL Berlin ordered all prisoners be shot. So, I did my duty. The next day, the order was rescinded. Fear of Allied reprisals. He looks to Kempka. CRUWELL That's how I got it. Cruwell looks off. Vacant. Uncomfortable, Kempka heads for the door. CRUWELL Nothing goes wrong tomorrow. Kempka stops. CRUWELL Understood? KEMPKA Yes sir. Kempka leaves. INT. PRISON CELL - DAWN Sunlight beams filter down. Split by bars on the lone window. A spider creeps across the grimy and cracked concrete floor. FOOTSTEPS. Keys JINGLE. The cell door CREAKS opens. A shadow appears over the spider. A shiny jackboot squishes it. Grinds it into the floor. Samira sleeps on a straw bed. SPLASH! Water is tossed over her. She wakes abruptly. Von Ravenstein above. Holding a bucket. Smiling. VON RAVENSTEIN Good morning. She's woozy. Disoriented. SAMIRA Where am I? VON RAVENSTEIN Tobruk. And tonight, you'll be in Berlin. He walks to the window. Sunlight falls on his face. He closes his eyes. Smiles. VON RAVENSTEIN Dawn reveals so much... He removes a photograph from his pocket. Holds it up to her. VON RAVENSTEIN Don't you think? It's the picture of her, Anderson and Jack. VON RAVENSTEIN I realize this is you. He points to Anderson. VON RAVENSTEIN This man, I don't know. But, this one... He points to Jack. VON RAVENSTEIN I found in the desert. After a raid against the Field Marshall last year. Von Ravenstein twists the swastika pin on his uniform. VON RAVENSTEIN I tortured him for hours. But, he wouldn't break. Her lip quivers. SAMIRA He was my husband. VON RAVENSTEIN Until death did you part. Samira closes her eyes. Takes a deep breath. SAMIRA Where are the others? VON RAVENSTEIN Dead. SAMIRA How did you find us? VON RAVENSTEIN From a friend of yours. Before I cut off his head. (beat) Like I cut off your husband's. Samira's eyes go cold. SAMIRA By Allah, before this day ends. I will take your life. Von Ravenstein laughs. VON RAVENSTEIN My dear. By day's end, you'll be begging for yours. He tosses the photograph at her feet and departs. She picks it up as the cell door SLAMS shut. Her face forlorn, she HEARS him laugh down the hall. Boyish. Mischievous. Menacing. EXT. ROMMEL'S HEADQUARTERS - DAY A large, ornate building. Lush gardens. Cruwell and Rommel exit. Walk toward Rommel's limo. Von Ravenstein walks behind them. Escorting Samira. Her hands cuffed in front. The area's crawling with Soldiers. All heavily armed. Swarms of motorcycles, trucks and half-tracks. Engines RUNNING. Rommel enters his limo. Cruwell walks to his staff car and climbs in. Kempka walks up. A rifle over his shoulder. CRUWELL Kempka. Report. KEMPKA Quiet so far sir. No sightings. CRUWELL Good. Signal the airfield. We're inbound. Kempka nods. Salutes. The convoy moves out. EXT. GRAVEYARD - DAY Two German fighters streak low over the graves. They ZOOM overhead and out of sight. Pritchard, Steiner and Fuchs stand guard at the entrance. Steiner's sleeves are rolled up. PRITCHARD It's clear! From behind the STONE WALL Taylor and Campbell pop up. Loading a machine gun. PRITCHARD All clear! IN BELL TOWER Mitchell and McTavish appear. Crouched behind the railing, Mitchell readies his Boys Gun. McTavish watches the airfield with binoculars. AT THE ENTRANCE Pritchard looks at his watch. PRITCHARD Almost time. Looking down the road, Steiner's eyes narrow. Concerned. He points. STEINER Colonel. Pritchard looks over. A CONVOY of cargo trucks races along the road and passes by. At its tail, a GERMAN OFFICER rides an armored car. Watching Pritchard, Steiner and Fuchs curiously. Then, he looks away. The convoy drives on. But, German Officer looks back. PRITCHARD (O.S.) Keep driving. Keep driving. German Officer looks away and the convoy continues. Suddenly, the armored car stops. Backs up. Turns around. IN THE BELL TOWER Mitchell watches the armored car approach. McTavish keeps the binoculars on the airfield. Both stay out of sight. Mitchell looks to his hand. He holds Carter's identity disc. Closes his fist around it. MCTAVISH Here we go. Mitchell puts the disc away. Looks through the sniper scope. EXT. EL GOBI AIRFIELD - MAIN GATE Sentries snap to attention as Rommel's convoy passes through. Heading for THE TARMAC And past a row of parked fighter planes. From his vehicle Cruwell surveys the area. SUPER: H-HOUR Security's heavy. Snipers cover rooftops. Soldiers with dogs walk the perimeter. Parked just beyond a row of fighters A JU-52 TRANSPORT PLANE Waits. Surrounded by troops. Engines ROARING. Chocks removed. Ready to go. EXT. GRAVEYARD ENTRANCE The armored car comes to a halt. Steiner draws a pistol. Keeps it behind his back. Out of sight. German Officer gets out. He's young. Professional. Escorted by SCRUFFY SERGEANT. They walk to Pritchard, Steiner and Fuchs. They speak in German. GERMAN OFFICER Good morning sir. Where's the usual detail? PRITCHARD They were relieved. EXT. JU-52 The convoy drives up and stops. Soldiers disembark trucks. Take up defensive positions. Rommel steps from his limo. Cruwell and Kempka walk up and escort Rommel toward the plane. EXT. BELL TOWER Mitchell watches Cruwell through the scope. Smiles. MITCHELL I'll be damned. MCTAVISH What is it? MITCHELL A little bonus. Moving the scope to the right, he checks things out. SEES something. Gasps. MCTAVISH What? MITCHELL Samira... EXT. JU-52 Von Ravenstein pushes Samira toward the plane. EXT. BELL TOWER McTavish turns to Mitchell. MCTAVISH You've got a job to do. Mitchell looks trough the scope. Placing the crosshairs over Rommel's head. Mitchell nods, determined. MITCHELL Target acquired. Mitchell FLICKS a switch. MITCHELL Ready. EXT. JU-52 Samira walks with her head down. That doesn't mean she's not paying attention. Up ahead, a TIRED GERMAN SOLDIER yawns. Half-asleep. The strap on his bayonet, removed. EXT. GRAVEYARD ENTRANCE Pritchard, Steiner and Fuchs stand opposite German Officer and Scruffy Sergeant. They speak in German. GERMAN OFFICER Pardon me Colonel but what unit are you with? PRITCHARD Twenty First Panzer. GERMAN OFFICER Is that right? German Officer removes his gloves. GERMAN OFFICER Twenty First Panzer moved to the front this morning. (to Scruffy Sergeant) Call it in. Scruffy Sergeant turns. Walks for the armored car. Pritchard stays cool. So does Fuchs. Steiner twists his arm slightly to keep the pistol concealed. German Officer spots the tattoo on his forearm. Six digits in faded black ink. He draws his Luger. GERMAN OFFICER I'm afraid the game is up. In a flash, Steiner has the pistol out. He FIRES. German Officer takes a round in the stomach. Staggers backward. Brings his Luger up. Pritchard moves for cover. Not fast enough. German Officer FIRES as he drops. Gets Pritchard in the neck. Pritchard falls. His body quivers. Then, stops abruptly. Scruffy Sergeant spins. Going for his sidearm. Fuchs SHOOTS. Scruffy Sergeant gets hit and falls. The armored car opens FIRE. Cutting Fuchs down. Steiner leaps over the stone wall. INTERCUT - EXT. JU-52/BELL TOWER Mitchell HEARS the shots. Watches Pritchard fall. MCTAVISH Mitchell. Take the shot! Mitchell looks through the scope. Puts the crosshairs over Rommel. Moves them to Cruwell. Getting closer to the plane. Then, over to Samira. MCTAVISH (O.S.) Take it now! Samira makes her move. She kicks Von Ravenstein's knee with her heel. He cries out. Staggers. She elbows him in the stomach. He doubles over. IN SLO MO She sprints toward the Tired Soldier. He SEES her coming but, it's too late. She's on him before he can react. She POPS him in the nose. He tumbles backward. She grabs the bayonet and rushes Rommel. Neither he nor Cruwell notice over the ROAR of the engines. A GERMAN RIFLEMAN spots her. Raises his rifle. Cocks the bolt. From the corner of his eye, Cruwell notices. He turns. Just a few yards away, Samira runs at them. Bayonet drawn. Cruwell shoves Rommel for the ground. Diving behind a vehicle. Mitchell watches through the scope. SEES the rifleman taking aim. Got her in his sights. MCTAVISH (O.S.) Shoot! Samira lunges at Rommel. Cruwell falls on top of him. German Rifleman presses the trigger. CRACK! From nowhere, a rifle butt SMACKS against Samira's cheek. END SLO MO A bullet plugs German Rifleman in the head. He falls. Samira drops to the ground. Kempka stands over her. A rifle in his hands. Cruwell lays on Rommel, shielding him. Hiding behind a truck. Neither moves. A groan. Cruwell rolls off. Uninjured. He looks to Rommel. CRUWELL Field Marshall? ROMMEL I'm all right. McTavish watches through binoculars as smoke twists from the Boys Gun. Through the scope, Cruwell and Rommel are obscured by the truck. MCTAVISH Mitchell! Goddammit! Mitchell targets the truck. Presses the trigger. Cruwell tries to sit up. Rommel looks a little stunned. CLANG! A bullet rips through the truck they hide behind. CLANG! Another bullet pierces the metal. It SIZZLES. CLANG! Another bullet. Getting closer. CLANG! Another bullet. Cruwell backs away from the approaching bullet holes. CLANG! A hole in the truck is inches from Cruwell's body. He's right up against Rommel. There's nowhere to go. Mitchell pulls the trigger. CLICK. Nothing happens. MITCHELL Reload! McTavish hands Mitchell another clip. Soldiers race to Rommel. Push Cruwell aside. They lift the Field Marshall to his feet and rush him madly into his limo. CLANG! A bullet strikes the car's shiny surface. Soldiers throw Rommel onto the vehicle floor. Half a dozen Soldiers leap on him. Covering his body with theirs. The limo SCREECHES off. Cruwell turns. Kempka stands over Samira. Frozen. Shocked by what he did. CRUWELL Kempka! Kempka! Snapped from his trance, Kempka looks over. CRUWELL Get under cover. Kempka moves behind the truck. Cruwell watches the Snipers
Copyright © 2004 Shaun Goldsmith |