Our Girl Page #9

(to Smurf)

Smurf, you're with me.

They forge on. Molly is looking around. The tension apparent.

They cross the bridge towards the truck.

BAZ VEGAS (O.S)

(into radio)

Farmer Giles still having a gawp at us.

JAMES:

Smurf, eyes on that farmer and covering

west.

Smurf stares at him but says nothing. Once again, James and everyone

else too preoccupied to notice the 'change' in Smurf.

James doesn't see but we do, Smurf continuing to glare at him.

Smurf's eyes have changed, he looks wild and angry. He watches

James and Molly heading towards the rear of the truck, before

turning and staring in the direction of the farmer and heading

towards his position.

JAMES (CONT'D)

(to Molly)

Dawes. You’re to examine the back of

the truck.

Slowly, James and Molly reach the back of the truck. They are

surprised to see that inside are four women sitting on the bench

seats; wearing niqabs and burqas, their faces covered except for

the eyes. Two children sit on the women's laps.

QASEEM:

(in Pashto – 10:51:26)

Peace be upon you.

Molly watches as the driver gets out the car and is greeted by

Qaseem.

QASEEM:

(in Pashto – 10:51:30)

Sorry for bothering you

James and Molly say hello to the women in the truck in Pashto

but get not a flicker of response.

MOLLY:

(in Pashto – 10:51:33)

Peace be upon you.

JAMES:

(in Pashto – 10:51:34)

Peace be upon you.

Molly is trying to study the women. James looks at Molly.

DRIVER:

(in Pashto – 10:51:46)

Why did you stop us?

QASEEM:

(in Pashto – 10:51:48)

We just want to search your truck

DRIVER:

(in Pashto – 10:51:51)

There’s nothing in my truck

JAMES:

(suspicion aroused)

Everything looking as it should do,

Dawes?

MOLLY:

Something ain't right boss.

A gun shot shatters the calm. James and Molly duck as does everyone

else.

Confusion from 2 Section about where the contact came from.

JAMES:

Was that contact?

BAZ VEGAS:

Take cover.

NUDE-NUT

Smurf?! What the f*** are you doing?!

Smurf has his rifle still trained on the distant farmer who is

screaming next to his shot goat..

SMURF:

(growling)

Come on you wanker, go for your weapon!

The farmer is screaming in Pashto at Smurf.

FARMER:

(in Pashto – 10:52:06)

Oh, for God’s sake! What did you do?

Look! You killed my goat! For God’s

sake! I don’t even have a gun! What did

you do?”

One of the babies starts to cry. James turns to Smurf just feet

away.

JAMES:

Smurf what the f*** are you doing?! Does

that farmer even have a gun?

SMURF:

(growling)

Go for your weapon!

The farmer is still screaming and there are confused shouts all

round.

JAMES:

(desperate)

Hold your fire! Hold your fire!

MOLLY:

Put your gun down, Smurf.

KINDERS:

Is he an insurgent boss?

BRAINS:

Has he got a weapon?

JAMES:

Smurf, what the f*** happened?

Smurf turns and looks at James.

SMURF:

You. That's what f***ing happened.

James looks stunned.

JAMES:

What are you talking about?

SMURF:

You've ruined everything.

JAMES:

What?

SMURF:

I looked in.

JAMES:

I don't know what the f*** you're

talking about but you will put your gun

down now, Smurf.

Smurf starts to cry.

MOLLY:

(into radio)

Are you alright Smurf?

KINDERS:

(shouting to James)

Boss, what the hell's going on?

JAMES:

(shouting back)

Hold your positions!

(to Smurf)

Smurf, put your gun down.

SMURF:

Worried I might shoot you?

KINDERS (O.S)

What's happening? Is the target in the

truck boss?!

QASEEM:

(in Pashto – 10:52:48)

Calm down! Calm down!

Qaseem is trying to calm the women in the truck. The women in

the back of the truck shout various phrases in Pashto like “Why

did you stop us? “We have children” “Let us go”

JAMES:

Lower your gun now Smurf.

Molly is staring in horror at the scene. She looks from James

and Smurf.

SMURF:

I'd have laid down my life for you, boss.

And Molly.

JAMES:

Private Smith. Lower your gun now, that

is an order.

SMURF:

But she wants you to be the last thing

she sees.

James stares at him. He finally realises what Smurf means. The

two men look at each other. Molly is watching them with fear.

Qaseem is still trying to placate the truck driver.

QASEEM:

(shouting to James)

Sir we need to I.D. the people in the

truck and get it moving.

SMURF:

Me and Geraint were identical twins and

yet I was always the ugly one. How's

that possible? I always got the sh*t

end of the stick. Everyone loved him.

I did. You did. And then, for the first

time in my life I found love, and then

suddenly... everything felt right,

everything felt like it should. And

what happens? The man who I trust more

than anyone else in this world smashes

me in the face with the sh*t end of the

stick.

Qaseem continues to placate the driver in Pashto.

James is struggling to control the situation - and himself.

JAMES:

Dylan Smith. You are endangering this

entire mission and the lives of your

fellow soldiers! You do not bring

'personal' on to the battle field, is

that understood?

SMURF:

You did.

The women in the truck are getting more and more agitated. We

close in on Molly as her eyes flash everywhere. Her eyes rest

on one of the women in a burqa. She locks eyes with her. The two

of them freeze, Molly suddenly realises it is Badrai. Badrai

simultaneously realising Molly has recognised him.

MOLLY:

Boss! Boss!

(turning to run towards

James)

Boss, it's Badrai! He's in the burqa.

Everybody take cover!

Suddenly a burqa-ed Badrai leaps out firing his AK47 madly in

their direction.

A split second as Molly stares trying to compute. She turns and

sees James struck with a volley of bullets.

Badrai gets to a block and hides behind it, gun at the ready.

Molly scrambles to James and starts to deal with his injuries

as best she can as the pandemonium carries on around her.

MOLLY (CONT'D)

(screaming into her head

radio)

Man down! Man down!

All of 2 Section are screaming.

FINGERS:

Captain James is down!

James is screaming in pain. His injuries are horrific.

MOLLY:

One Cat A, urgent med-evac required!

MIST out, wait out.

Moments of chaos ensue as Badrai starts shooting again.

DANGLE BERRIES:

(into radio)

Zero this is amber 3 zero bravo. One

Cat A. Urgent medivac required.

Molly turns back to James.

MOLLY:

Just stay with me alright. You're gonna

be alright. I'm gonna get you out of

here.

KINDERS (O.S.)

Molly keep your head down!

She turns and sees Smurf, still standing, seemingly staring at

the scene nonplussed.

MOLLY:

Get the f*** down, Smurf!

She grabs him to tug him and as she does he collapses and for

the first time she sees Smurf has been hit too.

MOLLY (CONT'D)

Two Cat A, urgent med-evac required!

Repeat, urgent med-evac required.

The ANA are shooting eratically.

KINDERS:

Hold your fire! Hold your fire!

DANGLE BERRIES (O.S.)

(over comms)

Zero this is amber 3 zero bravo.

Emergency med-evac required. Wait out.

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