G.I. Jane Page #19

He laughs. It's the bleakest laugh imaginable.

EXT. OCEAN - DAY

SLUTNIK:

He's circlin' the drain, el-tee.

Jordan surveys the equipment they do have aboard -- the

stuff she can count on. Mental turbos kicking in:

JORDAN:

So we got two full mini-tanks, three

minutes each. 'Cool? How much air

in yours?

MCCOOL:

Maybe half. Not even.

JORDAN:

Grab an oar, find a way to weight it

down, we're gonna need it. Cortez,

help him. Flea? You take one of the

two full minis -- and just follow my

lead.

CORTEZ:

What, we're gonna pry 'em out with

paddles?

MCCOOL:

(grabbing her)

O'Neil. Our air's gonna crap out as

soon as we get down there. You know

that, don't you?

JORDAN:

So I guess we get one shot at it.

INT. CRASHED HELO - UNDERWATER - DAY

Swimming in his own blood, the Chief starts to fade away,

losing consciousness. But then, through the cockpit

windscreen...

A hazy orb of light above him. The orb grows and grows

until it resolves into a flare carried by his would-be

savior. Jordan.

THE CHIEF:

Why'd it have to be her...

EXT. CRASHED HELO - UNDERWATER - DAY

Reaching the downed Helo, McCool and Cortez wedge their

oars under the fuselage and leverage hard until...

An opening appears.

Jordan and Flea swim into the breach...

INT. CRASHED HELO - UNDERWATER - DAY

... and surface inside the wreckage.

JORDAN:

Chief, sir... still with me?

CHIEF:

(unbuckling co-pilot)

Take him first. Once he's clear,

come back with --

JORDAN:

Sir, let me suggest you stop giving

orders and start doing exactly what

I say, because that's the only way

we're all getting out of here. Now

how's your vest check out? Still

good?

EXT. CRASHED HELO - UNDERWATER - DAY

McCool's air craps out. He abandons his oar and swims for

the surface. That leaves only...

Cortez, struggling mightily to keep the escape route open.

He knows his mini-tank is running on empty -- and it

scares the bejeezus out of him.

INT. CRASHED HELO - UNDERWATER - DAY

JORDAN:

Flea, take the pilot up slow, feed

him air. Chief, sir, you and I are

gonna take the express elevator

outta here. Remember to let your

air out. Ready?

EXT. OCEAN - DAY

Twin transports -- Seafox One and Two -- pound across the

water. Instructors sweep binoculars, trying to spot...

The ILB. Newberry POPS A FLARE skyward as Slutnik

DOWNLOADS INFO over the radio.

EXT. CRASHED HELO - UNDERWATER - DAY

Cortez's air goes dead. He gives it three more seconds,

eyes riveted on the underside of the helo, knowing they

have to come out... right... f***ing... absolutely...

NOW:
Jordan appears with the Chief. Flea is at their

heels with the co-pilot.

Cortez drops his oar as if it were radioactive and swims

for the sky.

The HELO BOOMS back down onto the reef.

Jordan yanks the cord on the Chief's vest. It inflates

instantly. One arm raised, Jordan streaks for the

surface...

EXT. OCEAN - DAY

... and "Supermans" into daylight with the Chief. They

covered 50 feet in four seconds.

Doing a 360, Jordan spots...

Seafox One coming their way.

Jordan waves like a shipwreck victim.

Not slowing, Seafox lowers a recovery rig into place:

They're wasting no time on the pick-up.

Remembering the last time she tried this, Jordan gets a

death-grip on the Chief's vest.

THE CHIEF:

(growling)

O'Neil...

JORDAN:

Shut up, sir. I'm concentrating.

The recovery loop comes at her like a big brass ring.

SEAFOX THUNDERS past. Jordan plunges her free arm through

the loop...

And suddenly they're gone, whisked away by the boat.

Throwing a rooster tail a mile long, Seafox pivots on the

water and heads back to base.

MCCOOL:

Hoooooo-yah!

NEWBERRY:

Go, go, go, go!

SLUTNIK:

Uh-huh! That's right! Just like we

always practice it!

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. GUARD HOUSE - CORONADO NAVAL BASE - DAY

Limousine leading, a parade of vehicles reaches the base

entrance. A man exits the limo to expedite matters with

the BASE GUARD.

DEHAVEN'S AIDE

Senator DeHaven is here for the

graduation ceremonies.

BASE GUARD:

What are all these other vehicles?

DEHAVEN'S AIDE

Just a small press corps. Routine.

BASE GUARD:

And that pickup truck at the end?

DEHAVEN'S AIDE

That? That would be the all-woman

America's Cup team.

EXT. GRINDER - CORONADO NAVAL BASE - DAY

C.O.

(into microphone)

Special Reconnaissance Class 118,

you may now stand down.

All buffed and polished and wearing their dress whites,

the former trainees erupt with ONE GREAT HOO-YAH. What

began as a class of 100 now ends with just 40.

Sitting among the families and friends we find Royce,

smiling through his fears. Not far away sits Blondell.

No one claps louder.

Jordan trades high-fives and fierce hugs with crewmates.

Pyro finally manages to take her aside.

INSTRUCTOR PYRO:

Lieutenant? I was asked to give you

this.

It's a small case. Jordan opens it to find a medal of

bronze and blue enamel.

JORDAN:

The Navy Cross...

INSTRUCTOR PYRO:

I believe he earned it for saving a

man's life in Saudi Arabia. He

wanted you to have it. He was very

clear on that point.

JORDAN:

I was looking for him earlier,

but...

INSTRUCTOR PYRO:

The Chief was granted early

retirement as of 17-hundred

yesterday. By 18-hundred he was

gone. Out of the Navy.

JORDAN:

(knowing better)

Just a coincidence?

INSTRUCTOR PYRO:

Maybe it's not my place to speculate

on his private thoughts. But I

think the Chief knew that his way --

his world -- had come and gone.

Jordan nods, understanding.

CUT TO:

EXT. GRINDER - CORONADO NAVAL BASE - DAY

DeHaven. She's holding a press conference, trying to turn

piss into wine -- and doing a pretty good job:

DEHAVEN:

... of course, we always prefer

peace to war. But if we're going to

war, give women a piece. Give them

the choice to defend their country.

And if the President doesn't like

that idea -- if he wants to continue

to deny women their equal rights --

then I'll be happy to step out back

with him any time, anywhere...

Jordan approaches. Spotting her, the PRESS PLEADS for a

photo-op with both women.

DEHAVEN:

Jordan? Jordan, dear...

Letting silence be the ultimate expression of scorn,

Jordan walks right past DeHaven...

And joins Royce. Together they turn and leave.

C.O.

Senator, perhaps this would be a

good time for that lunch. Will the

America's Cup team be joining us?

EXT. BEACH - CORONADO NAVAL BASE - DAY

Jordan and Royce walk hand in hand, strolling the same

beach she trained on.

JORDAN:

So here we are again. Staring three

years of operational duty in the

face.

ROYCE:

Look. It's not like you'd be

completely out of reach. And maybe

we could call in a few favors, get

you stationed at Norfolk instead of

Coronado. There are ways of dealing

with these things -- I mean, if

people are so inclined.

JORDAN:

(warily)

Which is guy-speak for...

ROYCE:

"Yes, Jordan -- I'll wait for you no

matter how long."

Finally, the right answer.

EXT. AIR STATION - CORONADO NAVAL BASE - DAY

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