American Sniper Page #8

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MARC LEE:

Can’t do. We need you on overwatch.

CHRIS:

But if I was down in the street-

MARC LEE:

House-to-house is the deadliest job here.

You got some kind of savior complex?

Maybe.

CHRIS:

I just wanna get the bad guys. And I

can’t shoot them if I can’t see ‘em.

MARC LEE:

You got a hot hand. These Marines all

know your name now and they think they’re

invincible with you up there.

CHRIS:

They’re not--

MARC LEE:

They are if they believe they are. Just

keep banging on the long-gun and let

these ground-pounders sniff out Zarqawi.

Marc walks off leaving Chris biting at a shamal wind.

CUT TO:

AN F-18 RIPS OVERHEAD firing 500lb JDAMs into the next

block. Smoke and dust billow outward-

60 INT. ROOFTOP 60

Under a fluttering canopy, CHRIS lays on the gun, cursing

zero visibility. GOAT camps nearby, on a GameBoy.

CHRIS:

You said that AQI sniper was in the

Olympics-- but Iraq hasn’t qualified a

shooter in the last three games.

GOAT:

Mustafa’s not Iraqi. He’s from Syria.

(03.18.14) 43.

Chris steals a glance at him, processing this as-CHRIS

SCOPE POV:

KILO COMPANY MARINES JOG to a pink house with windowsboarded up. One of the Marines looks like Jeff Kyle.

CHRIS:

(keys mike)

Once you make entry I can’t see sh*t, so

keep it slow and push through the target.

“Jeff Marine” sets a charge, turns--not Jeff.

The door blows off. Marines rush in. GUNFIRE POPS.

Marines rush back out, dragging a WOUNDED MARINE.

CHRIS:

F*** this-- I’m going down to clearhouses with the Marines. You coming?

GOAT:

No man. No. I like my life. I wanna makeit home. I go fishing and do all kind ofcool sh*t. It’s not my job to knock down

doors. Those guys picked the wrongfucking job. I ain’t doing that sh*t.

CHRIS:

(smiles)

If I don’t see you down there, you make

sure I don’t see you again.

61 INT. STREET, SOLDIER’S DISTRICT - MINUTES LATER 61

KILO COMPANY firing on the structure. “CPT. GILLESPIE”

(smart, sunburned) is shouting “hold your fire” as--

CHRIS:

(bowls up)

You wanna be a sniper? Swap me guns.

Really?

“JEFF” MARINE

CHRIS:

I’ll roll with you guys if that’s cool?

CPT. GILLESPIE

Hey, any Navy Seal is cool by me.

“THOMPSON” (big, wobbly voice) nods, lugging an M240G.

(03.18.14) 44.

THOMPSON:

You’re that guy. They’re calling you The

Legend. You got like 24 confirmed kills.

He recognizes his way to gain entry, so he plays it up.

CHRIS:

It’s 32. But who’s counting.

THOMPSON:

That’s badass.

“SANCHEZ” (neck tattoos, Catholic) chimes in.

SANCHEZ:

There’s some boy in Bravo catching up.

CHRIS KYLE:

(packs a dip)

Y’all are meateaters for sure but I got a

little training I could show you, some

simple sh*t, that might just keep us

above ground. What do you say?

His need to protect cloaked beneath cool cowboy calm.

62 OMITTED 62

63 EXT. MICHIGAN STREET - OUTSIDE THE WIRE - DAY 63

KILO COMPANY are doing house-to-house. On the job

training. Tension high, they’re bunched around a doorway.

CHRIS motions them back, not so close, sets a charge-

64 INT. HOUSE, DAY 64

BOOM!-- KILO COMPANY ENTER a house with chandeliers and

regal armoires. They clear the room, CHRIS teaching them

how to move together, giving hand signals.

SANCHEZ:

(low)

-Whas that mean again?

GILLESPIE:

Cover and follow.

He follows Chris into a room with sofas, exotic rugs and--

(03.18.14) 45.

A KID(12) stands across the room with dark eyes and

pronounced forehead, staring at Chris.

CHRIS:

Down. Down! On the floor, now!

THE KID is rocking on his heels like he’s going to run.

CHRIS:

I will f***ing shoot you! Down! Get down-

FATHER OF KID (OS)

No, please--

THE FATHER runs in, tall and bearded. Gillespie clocks

him and he drops. The Kid screams like he’s deaf.

FATHER OF KID:

(from the floor)

Please! He can’t understand. Look at him--

GILLESPIE:

He does look a little retarded.

CHRIS:

You were ordered to evacuate. Why are you

still here?

FATHER OF KID:

This is our home. I won’t give it to

them. Or to you.

SANCHEZ pushes THREE WOMEN (in berkas) into the room.

SANCHEZ:

I found these b*tches in the back closet.

FATHER OF KID:

I’m Sheikh al-Obeidi. You are my guest

but please tell the others to come

inside. If they are in the street he will

know we have spoken.

SANCHEZ:

This sand nig’ want us in here so he can

blow us up. Check his ass for a vest.

A KETTLE whistles in the kitchen. Guns still trained.

CHRIS:

Who will know we’ve spoken?

(03.18.14) 46.

SHEIK AL-OBEIDI/FATHER

Your enemy is mine enemy. We share this.

You understand?

Chris studies the women, and lowers his gun.

CHRIS:

Bring the other guys in.

TIME CUT - LATER

Chris and Gillespie sit with “SHEIK AL-OBEIDI” while the

kid (“OMAR”) plays with his father’s hair.

SHEIKH AL-OBEIDI

If we talk to US soldiers he will come to

our home and make examples of us-

CHRIS:

Who is he? I need a name.

The Marine Interpreter aka “TERP” (20s, in mismatched

camo, face bandanna) repeats the question.

SHEIKH AL-OBEIDI

The man who comes we call The Butcher.

He is the despaired one, son of Shaytan--

Sheik mumbles in Arabic, fearing the words on his tongue.

TERP:

He calls him - the pure flame of fire- .

Basically, this man comes to their house

and prey on the weak with hurt.

CHRIS:

So he’s some kind of enforcer?

SHEIKH AL-OBEIDI

Enforcer. Yes. Top soldier of Zarqawi.

CHRIS:

(jumps)

We want Zarqawi. Where do we find

Zarqawi?

OMAR CACKLES like a crow, playing peeking games.

SHEIKH AL-OBEIDI

If you find The Butcher you will see he

reports direct to Zarqawi each day.

An F-18 rips overhead. RADIO CHATTER. THOMPSON steps out-

(03.18.14) 47.

CHRIS:

How do we find him?

SHEIKH AL-OBEIDI

You must understand the risk to us.

TERP:

He will ask for money.

SHEIKH AL-OBEIDI

We need one hundred thousand US dollars.

THE BOOM of distant ordinance shakes the structure.

CHRIS:

We don’t even have proof this guy exists.

The Sheik grabs his wife, pulls her arm from her robe--

her hand has been hacked off, the stump healing.

SHEIKH AL-OBEIDI

Is this not proof?

CHRIS:

I’m sorry. I want to help you. I do. But

I need names, places, phone numbers-

THOMPSON:

(rushes in)

Hey, we got a Marine unit pinned down in

a house just uprange-

CHRIS:

Give me a name, Sheik. Give me something.

THOMPSON:

They’re out of ammo. If we don’t go now--

Sheik stonewalling, Chris stands to go, f***-

SHEIKH AL-OBEIDI

“Amir Khalaf Fanus”. This is given name

of The Butcher. But to help you find him--

Sheikh Obeidi SWEEPS A HAND across his open palm, pay me.

TRANSITION TO:

Chris sweeps a hand across his open palm, pay me. We are-

(03.18.14) 48.

65 INT. DIA TRAILER, CAMP FALLUJAH - DAY 65

CHRIS and MARC LEE sit in front of AGENT SHEAD, of the

Defense Intelligence Agency. A game of solitaire open on

his computer. CORNHUSKER football posters on his wall.

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