Eye In The Sky Page #21

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If we have to announce to the

people of Nairobi that we knew

everything but we did nothing...

GEORGE:

We do not have to announce that we

knew anything, General. Let’s wait

to hear from the PM.

BENSON is shocked at George cutting him short.

JACK comes in.

YELLOW SHOOTING SCRIPT 12 September 2014 113.

JACK:

The PM asks that we do what we can

to minimise casualties.

ANGELA:

(under her breath)

Bloody coward...

WOODALE:

Is that all he said?

JACK:

Yes.

WOODALE:

How would you interpret that,

George?

LIEUTENANT-GENERAL BENSON

Minister, we cannot have military

decisions dictated by government

committees! Nor can we put on hold

a military operation at every stage

for legal clarification. You tell

us when to go to war, we conduct

the war and you deal with the

aftermath.

WOODALE:

(ice cold)

If only it were that simple.

266 INT. PJHQ - LONDON - AFTERNOON 266

POWELL stands over MUSHTAQ as MUSHTAQ shows her his new

calculation with concentric circles over the target area.

MUSHTAQ:

Adjusting the target to here...

there is a forty-five to sixty-

five percent possibility of

fatality.

COLONEL POWELL:

Sixty-five?

MUSHTAQ:

Yes.

COLONEL POWELL:

I need that calculation to be

below fifty per cent.

YELLOW SHOOTING SCRIPT 12 September 2014 114.

A long pause.

MUSHTAQ:

Well I...

COLONEL POWELL:

Perhaps there is an adjustment in

the assessment on the impact here?

MUSHTAQ:

That calculation is already at the

lowest limit of what I believe is

possible.

COLONEL POWELL:

Or if you target the missile here?

MUSHTAQ:

I would still have to make that a

sixty-five per cent possibility on

the upper limit.

COLONEL POWELL:

I need you to make this work,

Sergeant.

A beat. MUSHTAQ looks cornered.

COLONEL POWELL (CONT’D)

Do you understand?

MUSHTAQ:

Yes Ma’am.

MUSHTAQ is sweating at what he is being asked to do.

COLONEL POWELL:

We are locked into this kill chain

and a decision has to be made.

There are many lives at stake.

MUSHTAQ:

Ma’am... I think... I think that if

the target is here then... then I

could, I think, predict a forty-

five per cent possibility of

fatality. That might be possible.

COLONEL POWELL:

Forty-five per cent?

MUSHTAQ:

Possibly. Yes.

YELLOW SHOOTING SCRIPT 12 September 2014 115.

COLONEL POWELL:

I will put that to Cobra.

MUSHTAQ:

Ma’am, it’s...

COLONEL POWELL:

It is my understanding that, in

these circumstances, your

calculation can only be

speculation. That puts you beyond

any culpability.

MUSHTAQ:

Thank you, Ma’am.

COLONEL POWELL:

Thank you, Sergeant.

POWELL goes back to her desk. Looks at ALIA on the screen.

She knows that she will be her executioner.

267 INT. BRIEFING ROOM A - WHITEHALL - AFTERNOON 267

POWELL appears on the screen.

COLONEL POWELL:

Sir, I have a revised assessment

from the targeteer.

A diagram appears on one of the other screens.

COLONEL POWELL (CONT’D)

If you look at the diagram... By

targeting the missile here, there

is an estimated forty-five per cent

chance of collateral fatality in

this area here, where the girl is

positioned.

Suddenly everyone can see the get-out.

COLONEL POWELL (CONT’D)

We have now done everything in our

power to give this girl a chance to

survive.

LIEUTENANT-GENERAL BENSON

Thank you Colonel.

(to Woodale)

Minister, do we have authority to

prosecute the target?

YELLOW SHOOTING SCRIPT 12 September 2014 116.

Everyone now looks to him.

WOODALE:

Forty five percent?

LIEUTENANT-GENERAL BENSON

Yes. Minister, you recommended

earlier that we do not delay in

proceeding with this mission. With

a lower CDE there is surely now no

need to consult the PM. Or the

Foreign Secretary. May we proceed?

WOODALE is skewered.

WOODALE:

... Yes.

BENSON picks up the secure phone.

268 INT. BEDROOM SUITE - SINGAPORE - NIGHT 268

JAMES, watching WOODALE and the group on his screen, covers

his mouth with his hand. Though he now appears to be off the

hook legally, he is horrified by what is about to unfold.

269 INT. PJHQ - LONDON - AFTERNOON 269

POWELL on the secure telephone.

LIEUTENANT-GENERAL BENSON (O.S.)

You may proceed.

COLONEL POWELL:

Thank you, sir.

She puts the phone down.

270 INT. GROUND CONTROL STATION - NIGHT 270

CARRIE and STEVE watch ALIA.

CARRIE:

(a whisper, a prayer)

If we can hold a few more moments

and allow the grace of God -

perhaps the grace of God - to

intervene.

YELLOW SHOOTING SCRIPT 12 September 2014 117.

STEVE:

(tense)

Talking like my mom.

CARRIE:

I know. Mine too.

271 INT. PJHQ - LONDON - AFTERNOON 271

POWELL picks up the telephone to Mission Control.

COLONEL POWELL:

Lieutenant, we have re-run the CDE.

You are authorised to prosecute the

target. Engage now. Am I clear?

272 INT. GROUND CONTROL STATION - NIGHT 272

STEVE watches ALIA with her two loaves of bread.

STEVE:

(a long beat)

Yes, Colonel.

(to Carrie)

Cleared to engage.

An unbearable beat before he restarts the process to engage.

STEVE (CONT’D)

Running the ‘dash thirty four’

checklist. Carrie, call when ready.

Carrie can’t believe the order, but now she must obey.

273 EXT. ABANDONED LOT - EASTLEIGH - AFTERNOON 273

JAMA emerges from his hiding spot. He takes off his jacket

and hides it in rubble so he is less recognizable.

His twisted ankle is causing him great pain. He hobbles to a

broken metal sheeting fence and looks through a gap into:

274 EXT. ALLEY - EASTLEIGH - AFTERNOON 274

A boy, ALI, 10, is playing with a ball. Trying to look

casual, JAMA steps bravely into the alley and calls to Ali.

YELLOW SHOOTING SCRIPT

JAMA:

Hey, boy, what’s your name?

ALI:

Ali, sir.

JAMA:

Ali, I want you to buy me

some bread. The girl selling

it is on the corner of 147th

and Parker, near the market.

It is special bread - so only

buy it from her. You must buy

all of it.

He gives ALI some money.

JAMA:

This is plenty of money.

Bring it to me here. If you

come back in five minutes, I

will give you another two

hundred shillings.

ALI:

Yes sir!

JAMA:

Go like the wind!

12 September 2014 118.

JAMA (CONT’D)

Waryaa yarii soo magacaa?

(War-yah yaa-ree soo mah-gahah?)

ALI (CONT’D)

Cali, Mudane. (Ali, moo-danay.)

JAMA (CONT’D)

Cali, waxaan rabaa inaad

iisoo gado rooti. Waxaad iiha

soo gadaa gabadha gees kaas

ku gadha wadada 147 and

Parker. Waa rooti fiican

iyada keliya iiga soo gad.

Waa inaad kasoo gadaa kuli.

(Ali, wah-haan rub-baa i-naad

ee-so gah-dah roo-tee. Wahhaad

eega so gah-dah gah-bahdah

gees kaas koo gah-doh wahdah-

dah 147 and Parker. Wah

roo-tee fee-un ee-yah-dah kehlee-

yah eager so gut. Wah inaad

kah-so gah-dah koo-lee.)

JAMA (CONT’D)

Tani waa lacag badan. Iigu

keen inta iyo ku so lawaato.

Shan dagiiqo gudaheed waxaan

ku siinayaa. Labo bogol

shillin.

(Tah-nee wah lah-ak bah-dan.

Ee-goo ken in-tah ee-yo hahdaad

koo so lah-wah-too. Shan

dah-kee-goh good-dah-hed wahhaan

koo see-nay-yah. Lab-tah

bok-kol shilling.)

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