A Few Good Men Page #10

KAFFEE:

Was the attack on Santiago a Code

Red?

DAWSON:

Yes sir.

KAFFEE:

(to DOWNEY)

Do you ever talk?

DAWSON:

Sir, Private Downey will answer any

direct questions you ask him.

KAFFEE:

Swell. Private Downey, the rag you

stuffed in Santiago's mouth, was

there poison on it?

DOWNEY:

No sir.

KAFFEE:

Silver polish, turpentine, anti-

freeze...

DOWNEY:

No sir. We were gonna shave his head,

sir.

KAFFEE:

When all of a sudden...?

DOWNEY:

We saw blood drippinq out of his

mouth. Then we pulled the tape off,

and there was blood all down his

face, sir. That's when Corporal Dawson

called the ambulance.

KAFFEE tries not to make too big a deal out of this last

piece of news.

KAFFEE:

(to DAWSON)

Did anyone see you call the ambulance?

DAWSON:

No sir.

KAFFEE:

Were you there when the ambulance

got there?

DAWSON:

Yes sir, that's when we were taken

under arrest.

KAFFEE kinda strolls to the corner of the cell to think for

a moment.

SAM:

(to DAWSON)

On the night of August 2nd, did you

fire a shot across the fenceline

into Cuba?

DAWSON:

Yes sir.

SAM:

Why?

DAWSON:

My mirror engaged, sir.

KAFFEE:

(to SAM)

His mirror engaged?

SAM:

For each American sentry post there's

a Cuban counterpart. They're called

mirrors. The corporal's claiming

that his mirror was about to fire at

him.

KAFFEE:

Santiago's letter to the NIS said

you fired illegally. He's saying

that the guy, the mirror, he never

made a move.

DAWSON says nothing.

KAFFEE:

(continuing)

Oh, Harold?

SAM is staring at DAWSON.

KAFFEE:

(continuing)

You see what I'm getting at? If

Santiago didn't have anything on

you, then why did you give him a

Code Red?

DAWSON:

Because he broke the chain of command,

sir.

KAFFEE:

He what?

DAWSON:

He went outside his unit, sir. If he

had a problem, he should've spoken

to me, sir. Then his Sergeant, then

Company Commander, then --

KAFFEE:

Yeah, yeah, alright. Harold, did you

assault Santiago with the intent of

killing him?

DAWSON:

No sir.

KAFFEE:

What was your intent?

DAWSON:

To train him, sir.

KAFFEE:

Train him to do what?

DAWSON:

Train him to think of his unit before

himself. To respect the code.

SAM:

What's the code?

DAWSON:

Unit Corps God Country.

SAM:

I beg your pardon?

DAWSON:

Unit Corps God Country, sir.

KAFFEE:

The Goverrment of the United States

wants to charge you two with murder.

You want me to go to the prosecutor

with unit, corps, god, country?

DAWSON stares at KAFFEE.

DAWSON:

That's our code, sir.

KAFFEE takes a long moment. He picks up his briefcase and he

and SAM move to the door.

KAFFEE:

We'll be back. You guys need anything?

Books paper, cigarettes, a ham

sandwich?

DAWSON:

Sir. No thank you. Sir.

KAFFEE smiles at DAWSON.

KAFFEE:

Harold, I think there's a concept

you better start warming up to.

DAWSON:

Sir?

KAFFEE:

I'm the only friend you've got.

And as KAFFEE and SAM walk out the open cell door, DAWSON

and DOWNEY come to attention and snap a salute.

They hold the salute until KAFFEE and SAM are well out of

sight, and we

CUT TO:

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