Predator Page #5

Mac advances a few meters and signals slowly.

EXT. KNOLL

The assault team moving up the hill, barely visible in the heavy

foliage, the team moves cautiously into defensive positions. Holding. A

moment later they continue up the hill, crawling.

On their stomachs, Schaefer and Ramirez clear the edge of the knoll,

SEEING below a GUERRILLA VILLAGE, a huge, spreading PALAPA covering

implacements dug into a hillside, descending to a winding stream bed

below. 30 MEN, dressed in a mixture of jungle fatigues and civilian

clothes, armed with AK-47 ASSAULT RIFLES move about the camp. A heavy

MACHINE GUN emplacement guards the entrance to the camp. TWO MEN sit in

the camouflaged emplacement.

SCHAEFER:

Sweeping the camp with BINOCULARS, SEES a GUARD above the camp. One of

the man picks up a hand-held ROCKET LAUNCHER, placing it beside a

bandolier of ROCKETS and a RADIO SET and CONSULS taken from the U.S.

surveillance helicopter as if preparing to take them away.

Schaefer puts down the glasses, looking at Ramirez who nods in

acknowledgment. A sudden MUFFLED CRY brings Schaefer's attention to one

end of the camp, where a heavily thatched DOOR covers and opening to

the PALAPA. A GUARD stands at the door.

The door flies open as a HOSTAGE, shirtless, hands tied behind his

back, staggers through the door as if kicked from behind.

The man falls to the ground, feebly trying to regain his footing.

Although difficult to see from Schaefer's vantage point, the man's

battered face and welt-covered back indicate he has been severely

tortured.

Emerging from the palapa, a GUERRILLA LEADER, moustached and wearing a

SIDEARM, approaches the beaten man, kicking him viciously in the

stomach, rolling him to his side.

Kneeling beside the man he withdraws an AUTOMATIC from his holster and

c*cks the hammer. Grabbing the man by the hair he jams the muzzle into

the man's ear and with a violent twist, pulls the trigger.

The guerrilla leader stands and strides quickly back to the palapa,

still holding the pistol, closing the door behind him.

SCHAEFER:

Grim-faced at having witnesses the murder, lowers him glasses, a look

of cold determination on his face. Quickly he and Ramirez ease down the

escarpment, joining the other team members.

Schaefer makes a circling motion with his thumb and the team members

gather in close, huddle formation.

SCHAEFER:

(whispering; angry)

Just killed one of the prisoners. No time for invitations. We take

them, now.

EXT. BLAIN AND MAC - DAY

Crawl silently through the underbrush. With nearly imperceptible

movements, Blain slips out of the cartridge pack, ditching the Mini-

gun. He withdraws his COMBAT KNIFE, placing it between his teeth.

They move through the underbrush in tandem, like two bug cats,

stalking. Mac freezes, the sweat pouring from his face, holds up his

hand as Blain stops.

Using a BLADE OF GRASS, Mac points out a metal TRIP WIRE, following it

to a hidden CLAYMORE MINE. Blain grins making a switching GESTURE.

Carefully Mac detaches the LEAD WIRES. Directing the mine towards the

camp, he reattaches the wires, nodding at Blain.

EXT. JUNGLE - OVERHEAD - ALTERED POV - DAY

SEEN THROUGH HEAT-SEEKING VISION, FOCUSED ON Blain and Mac, lying in

the grass below, their bodies outlined in LUMONOUS AUREOLES. The

Observer SEES the NETWORK of TRIP WIRES guarding the approaches to the

machine gun nests. The wires GLOW as if ELECTRIFIED, standing out in

hard-edged relief in contrast to the jungle foliage. He moves higher

into the forest canopy.

EXT. BILLY - DAY

On Schaefer's signal rises up, pulling a SENTRY to him, covering his

mouth with his hand, jerking him backwards and to the side, knocking

him off balance with a sweeping motion of his left leg, killing him

with his COMBAT KNIFE.

EXT. SCHAEFER - DAY

Belly crawls silently through the tall grass just outside and above the

main entrance to the camp. He stops, studying the ancient, rusted

skeleton of a TRUCK parked on a level spot above the camp, ist engine

quietly IDLING. The truck is jacked and blocked up, one rear wheel

attached to a belt-drive leading to a PUMP, drawing water from a river

nearby. In the open cab of the truck a GUARD is on duty, watching the

high ground above the camp.

Schaefer moves out, heading for the guard.

EXT. MACHINE GUN EMPLACEMENT - DAY

While one Guerrilla attends to his equipment, the OTHER attentively

watches the approaches to the camp. He is momentarily distracted by a

BUZZING FLY, which he annoyingly swats at with his hand.

He hears something to his side. Turning to investigate, the huge,

hamhock fist of Mack smashes into his throat.

Simultaneously, Blain rises up behind the other man, grabs him by the

hair, pulling him down, his COMBAT KNIFE driving downward.

EXT. TRUCK - DAY

A SATCHEL CHARGE is looped over the gearshift lever, resting on the

floorboard. Schaefer, lying low across the seat of the truck, turns and

looks, SEEING the guard, lying in a heap in the foliage.

EXT. RAMIREZ - DAY

Moves into position to the side and above the camp. He carefully checks

the readiness of his SIX-SHOT GRENADE LAUNCHER, also setting his MP-5

in front of him, ready for action.

EXT. SCHAEFER

Crouched to the side of the truck, watches the camp, SEEING below

through the dense undergrowth, Ramirez, barely visible, signaling.

Before him are two FRAGMENTATION GRENADES. He looks at his watch, and

then up the hill to:

DILLON AND HAWKINS

Their weapons ready. Dillon picks up his binoculars, focusing on the

machine gun emplacement, seeing a MAN, his face covered by a HAT. The

head rises, REVEALING the face of Blain, who looks above the camp and

slightly nods. Putting his glasses down, motions to Hawkins.

DILLON:

(to Hawkins)

Ready, kid?

Hawkins grins back. Together they slip through the grass, downward

towards the edge of the camp.

EXT. SCHAEFER

Holds his huge, COMMANDO MACHETE on a diagonal, pushing through the

belt, slicing it cleanly. Turning he crawls silently to the rear of the

truck, positioning himself behind the rear of the one ton truck.

He squats, and with an enormous, concentrated effort, deadlifts the

rear of the truck, its rusted springs and frame beginning to CREAK and

GROAN slightly.

With a herculean effort he lifts the truck free of its blocks and then

pushes forward. He rolls aside, disappearing into the ground cover as

the truck, its tireless rims digging into the earth, lops down the

hill, slowly picking up speed.

EXT. GUERRILLA VILLAGE - DAY

A Guerrilla, alerted by the SOUND of the approaching truck, looks up at

the hillside, SEEING the vehicle still moving down the hill at a

moderate roll. He CALLS OUT and several Guerrilla leaves their posts,

moving out to prepare to stop the truck.

The truck rolls into the clearing picking up speed, heading towards the

main palapa. The men rush forward, surrounding the truck, trying to

slow it down, but the truck rolls, SMASHING through the front wall of

the palapa. The men gather around truck and then look back up the hill.

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