Collateral Damage Page #12

This time, the door gives. Gordy picks up Armstrong'scap, then picks up Armstrong, who's starting to comearound. Puts Armstrong over his shoulders in a fireman's

carry.

GORDY:

Don't breathe.

ARMSTRONG:

(weakly)

You're not running through the

fire, eh?

GORDY:

Close your mouth.

Because running through the fire is just what Gordy'sgonna do. As he disappears into the flames...

170 EXT. JAIL - NIGHT 170

The town's in complete chaos. There are fires

everywhere.

(CONTINUED)

64.

170 CONTINUED:
170

Still stunned and bleeding, Brandt looks from where helies on the ground as...

Gordy bursts out of the inferno carrying Armstrong.

They're singed and smoking, but they're alive. Gordydrops Armstrong, pats himself and Armstrong down,

knocking out the burning embers on their clothes andhair, when...

Gordy's eyes meet Brandt's. The two men hold the look

for a moment. If Brandt could speak, he'd be yelling atGordy to stop, not to go on. And Gordy knows it. But

Gordy's not stopping. Picks up Armstrong again and movesoff toward the waterfront.

171 EXT. MOMPOS WATERFRONT - NIGHT 171

There's less chaos here. The fires are in the distance.

Gordy arrives carrying Armstrong. Sets him down.

GORDY:

I'll find a boat to take us

upriver.

He starts to go. Armstrong stops him.

ARMSTRONG:

No. I told you. The pass is onlygood for one person. And you'retoo dangerous to travel with.

Beat. Gordy reaches over and takes Armstrong's cap.

looks inside. There's no pass.

He

ARMSTRONG:

It hasn't been there since we

landed.

Gordy's at a loss. He tosses the cap back.

at Armstrong. Beat. Armstrong sighs.

Just looks

ARMSTRONG:

Aw, hell... I was through withthis place anyway...

He takes off a boot. Shakes out some money and the pass.

He hands the pass to Gordy.

(CONTINUED)

65.

171 CONTINUED:
171

ARMSTRONG:

I'll call ahead and tell Felix I'm

not coming, and you're myreplacement. He'll meet you inCaguan and take you to theplantation... What do you knowabout diesel engines?

GORDY:

All the fire trucks are diesels.

ARMSTRONG:

You'll have to be Austrian, eh?

They hate Americans. Name's gottachange, too, in case they'rewatching the news.

(beat)

It'll buy you a little time tolook around Caguan. But you'llnever find The Wolf.

Beat. Gordy sticks out his hand.

GORDY:

Heinrich Beckmann.

Huh?

ARMSTRONG:

GORDY:

My Austrian name.

Armstrong shakes hands with Gordy.

let loose right away. Beat.

Armstrong doesn't

ARMSTRONG:

Luck got you this far. But upthere, luck doesn't make it.

I hope you know you're gonna die.

OFF Gordy, about to step over another line...

172 EXT. RIVER - VARIOUS SHOTS - DAY 172

As dawn breaks over the river, FIND Gordy sitting in amotored panga being steered by a local BOATMAN. Gordyreaches into a pocket and pulls out the photo of Anne andMatt. He looks at it for a few moments. Then pockets itagain.

173 SAME SCENE - LATER 173

The panga passes a dead body floating downstream.

66.

174 SAME SCENE - LATER 174

The panga passes revolutionary banners and signs liningthe riverbank.

BOATMAN:

La zona guerrillera.

175 SAME SCENE - MOMENTS LATER 175

The panga rounds a bend, and...

Two souped-up bass boats filled with heavily-armed ELCguerrillas move to intercept it.

The Boatman slows, puts the panga in neutral and keepshis hands in sight.

One boat of guerrillas pulls alongside. The other sheers

off and stops a short distance away, ready to open fire.

Gordy shows the guerrillas his travel pass. One of them

takes it. Reads. Looks Gordy over. Then starts to ripthe pass in half, when...

He stops. Grins. It's a big joke. He hands back the

pass, searches the boat quickly and waves the panga on.

OFF Gordy's relief as the panga heads on...

176 EXT. CAGUAN TOWN DOCK - DAY 176

The panga arrives, and Gordy gets out. He's met byFELIX. Felix has a 9mm in a shoulder holster. Felix

doesn't look the least bit happy.

FELIX:

Beckmann.

Yeah.

GORDY:

Come with me.

FELIX:

Felix leads him towards a Land Cruiser.

FELIX:

Armstrong should have called

sooner. We don't like changeshere... If I didn't need the

equipment fixed, I'd send youback.

(CONTINUED)

67.

176 CONTINUED:
176

They reach the Land Cruiser.

FELIX:

But now we have to see the E.L.C.

Supervisor for Caguan.

It's a prospect that seems to concern Felix almost asmuch as Gordy. Off which, as they get into the Toyota...

177 INT. ELC SUPERVISOR'S OFFICE - DAY 177

The ELC SUPERVISOR for Caguan may be a Marxist, but theclean, well-ordered office is nicely appointed, with abig-screen Sony and leather furniture. The TV's TUNED TO

CNN. A photo on the wall depicts him as a younger manwearing guerrilla cammies bearing with an ELC patch andholding an AK-47. A brass nameplate reading "Supervisor"

rests on a neat desk, behind which stands the man himself

-- a hardened, former guerrilla fighter proud of hisposition. He's not in cammies now -- his uniform now

consists of casual but nice tropical clothing and a fatRolex.

Felix is a subordinate here. He and Gordy stand acrossthe desk as the Supervisor examines Gordy's travel pass.

Gordy's nervous about what could appear on the TV in theb.g., but tries not to show it.

ELC SUPERVISOR:

Your passport was stolen.

In Mompos.

GORDY:

ELC SUPERVISOR:

... Mompos is a shithole. Not

like Caguan... Why didn'tArmstrong come?

GORDY:

He was arrested in Ecuador. He

got drunk and fooled around with apolice officer's wife.

The Supervisor just looks at him, assessing Gordy's facefor signs he's lying. Gordy's expression stays the same.

Felix respectfully interjects. It's almost a plea.

FELIX:

(in Spanish)

We need to fix the equipment. We

have delivery deadlines to meet.

(CONTINUED)

68.

177 CONTINUED:
177

A long beat. The ELC Supervisor hands the travel passback to Gordy. In a hard tone to Felix -ELC

SUPERVISOR:

(in Spanish)

He's your responsibility. Don't

let him out of your sight.

Si. Gracias.

FELIX:

As Felix leads Gordy away...

178 INT./EXT. LAND CRUISER (CAGUAN) - DAY 178

Gordy and Felix pull away from the Supervisor's H.Q.

Felix resumes his former tone of command.

FELIX:

The Supervisor made you myresponsibility... You don't goanywhere without me, youunderstand?

No problemo.

GORDY:

Gordy peers out the window intently as they drive,

looking for a lucky break, looking for The Wolf,

searching the face of every man. He doesn't see The

Wolf, but what he does see surprises him. The ELC

Supervisor was right: Caguan's no Mompos. It's a third-

world town, armed troops are visible, and there's a lotof bad sh*t behind Colombia's revolutionaries, but here

the streets are calm and orderly. It's quiet, almosteerie, as people go about their business. OFF Gordy,

seeing another side of the guerrillas...

179 INT./EXT. LAND CRUISER/COUNTRY ROAD - DAY 179

Felix turns off at the entrance to a lane leading to theplantation. The entrance is guarded by a 4X4 "RatPatrol" assault truck and four heavily armed ELCguerrillas.

GORDY:

The E.L.C. guards your coffeebeans?

Felix thinks he's joking. Until he looks over and sees

Gordy's actually being sincere.

(CONTINUED)

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