Neither Heaven Nor Earth

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1

NEITHER HEAVEN NOR EARTH

Afghanistan 2014, Wakhan District

Here boy.

Lie down.

Here.

South Post for North Post.

South Post, come in.

Captain, I got eyes on a civilian.

Headed down from the village, sector 43

toward the border.

Its Maleks son.

North Post, you copy?

Hes entering your sector.

What the f***?

Position.

Attention, warning shots.

Goliath!

South Post, you see the dog?

Negative, Captain.

JB, is the dog there?

Dont think so.

- We cant find it.

- Hold on...

- Are you going to the shura?

- Lernowski is.

Lernowski!

Those two are for the village.

No ones seen it.

Ask why he was down by the border,

he knows he shouldnt be there.

Its not your problem.

It is so!

He has no business there.

He wants money for the sheep.

Remind him how

were keeping the village safe.

He doesnt care. He wants money.

Sure, Ill write him a check.

What does Malek say?

Havent I always been clear?

The sheep died in your barbwire

so you must pay.

Im not paying!

Lets not argue.

Well leave it at that.

Well meet again next week.

Thank you, everyone.

Get down!

Where are they?

12 oclock!

I dont see them!

William!

Contact.

Come in!

South Post, you see them?

Negative, no visual.

Shooters in 43-7 or 43-8.

Stay covered, Captain.

Where are they?

Right! Further right.

William!

Youre not hit.

Benj!

Straight ahead.

- 12 oclock, along the ridge.

- Im ready!

Two shooters behind the third rock.

Now!

Further right. Go!

Fire!

Further right.

Fire!

I gotta go.

I love you too.

Sit down.

- Sorry for earlier.

- Forget it.

Happens to everyone.

Hows your wife?

Fine.

I dont tell her everything.

The less you say, the better.

Any day now, right?

- A boy?

- A little man.

Ill ask Lernowski

to tattoo his birth date.

Tek, we cant let him do it.

Either you or me, but not him.

I hate not having armored vehicles.

- Ever see a guy get wasted in one?

- No.

I saw it once in Kabul.

We had to get the body.

Holy sh*t, Tek.

That guy was a puzzle.

Pieces everywhere!

Fingers in a glove...

bits of flesh...

A charred knee all by itself

in the gravel.

We had to pick it all up.

Piece by piece.

It took us...

Bax, how long did it take?

Maybe 4 or 5 hours.

When we were done,

the bag weighed less than a man.

Hed been so blown to bits,

there was nothing left.

Whatd you do?

The captain took the bag,

went and dug up some dirt

to add to it.

We sealed the bag and casket

so the family couldnt open it.

The guy was sent back home like that,

dirt and all.

What the hell?

North Post for Base.

North Post for Base!

North Post, come in.

Mercier, get me the captain!

What are they doing?

Bax.

North Post, come in.

Captain, I got a dozen villagers

up on the ridge.

Theyre burning something.

Have they come down near the posts?

No, theyre in their sector.

- What do I do?

- Nothing.

As long as they stay there,

just keep an eye on them.

Yes, sir.

North Post. Now what?

We cant find Tek and Delcourt.

What?

Their post is empty.

They werent replying.

I thought their radio broke,

but the relief just arrived

and no ones there.

When?

Just now. I sent everyone out

but we found nothing.

What happened?

Did you see any civilians come near?

Negative.

They went back to the village.

After that, it was quiet.

I dont get it, Captain.

They couldnt go without you seeing!

I dont understand.

My eyes were glued to the sector.

Did you fall asleep?

How could you miss this?

They never wouldve left.

There had to be some contact.

Contact?

They mustve heard a noise,

gone to see and something happened.

Well find them hollering

down some hole.

Where were the civilians?

Up on the ridge.

Its a sheep, Captain.

Was your last radio contact

before or after the civilians?

Before, I think.

Hey Captain...

Bax! Get them.

Any trace of my men,

Im taking everyone!

No ones done anything.

What were those kids doing up there?

Taking the sheep up.

Why arent you in school?

- Hes a shepherd.

- A shepherd.

Right, youre all shepherds.

Show me your hands.

Come on!

Clean for a shepherd.

Search him.

See if hes got a cell phone.

Hes clean.

What were you doing up there?

- Burning the sheep from the barbwire.

- Why?

It wasnt killed properly

so they couldnt eat it.

I need to be told

when more than 2 men go to the valley!

No one goes to the valley.

What about him, the other day?

Men with sheep dont count.

Youre protecting someone.

Youre afraid!

Its Sultan, isnt it?

Where is he?

If I have to burn the village down

to find my men, I will!

Therell be nothing left but ashes!

If you do, well walk to Kabul

to report you,

and it is you

who will finish in ashes.

Dont use that tone with me.

What do they want?

Money?

I dont know. This isnt Kabul,

it doesnt work like that.

Make them talk.

What?

You think theyre Al-Qaeda?

Heres last nights satellite images

at 30-second intervals.

Between the villagers leaving at 2:44

and the relief arriving at 6:03,

there is no trace of any movement

in the sector or at the border.

Yet two of you were watching.

- William?

- Yes?

Go over there.

- Whatd I do now?

- Go over there.

- Here?

- A little further.

Sit in the middle of the camp.

Right here?

Thats good.

Look at him.

- See him?

- Yeah.

Corporals turn.

Something this simple blocks heat.

Dont believe only what you see

in the goggles.

No more of these.

For now, we have no idea what happened.

If theyre dead or alive.

But were going to find them.

Those who know me will vouch for this:

I have never left a man, body

or even a vehicle behind.

Well scour the sector.

Here are my orders:

Always stay in view of squad leaders,

day and night.

We close the posts

and adjust the windows.

No one can get in or out through them.

Motion detectors go above each post.

For now, no talk of the missing men

until we have news for their families.

Itll be tough but Im blocking

the phone line for now.

You may go.

I dont buy it.

The blanket doesnt work in motion.

Its noisy and heat leaks.

What am I supposed to say?

They may have gone AWOL.

To get their throats slit in Pakistan?

Captain?

May I ask you something?

Go ahead.

Id like a benediction.

A chaplain? Now?

If theres more fighting

and something happens...

Over there, thats not enough?

Benedictions are for the dead.

What you need is sangfroid.

That gets you home in one piece.

Ill see what I can do.

Fighters of Wakhan!

This sector is under international control.

We are prepared to hear your demands

for the release of our hostages.

Cease fire and open negotiations.

Lernowski, what you got?

A stake, Captain.

Describe it. No wires?

No, thats it.

A meter high, metal, rusty.

Have Mercier use the detector.

Nothing to report.

Just an old stake.

Nothing to report, Captain.

OK, carry on.

You havent been relieved?

Im not budging

till we get those bastards.

If it were up to me,

we wouldnt be dicking around.

What would you do?

Make those villagers talk.

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