Stop-Loss Page #6

You don't want to survive, man.

Sounds crazy,

but I feel lucky, you know?

They want to send me back.

I hope you told them no f***ing way.

I mean, I might go back.

'Cause if I got killed,

my family would get green cards.

- Sir.

- Yeah?

Could you move me out of the sun?

Okay.

So, I'm sorry, but I got to ask.

What you doing

with Sergeant Shriver's fiance?

They broke up.

She's just giving me a ride.

She was giving you a ride before

or after they broke up?

Not like that.

Michelle's close to my family.

She's just helping me out.

She's somebody...

What?

You should hear

the way you sound, Sarge.

You a Jody.

It's time for you to go back

to your room, Private Rodriguez.

Jody got your girl and gone

Sing it.

I don't know the words. You sing it.

Ain't no use in going home

Jody got your girl and gone

You watching this one?

- Nice shot.

- Now we're even.

What you laughing at? You lost.

That's pretty funny.

- "Give you a hand."

- Dumbass.

- Help me push it.

- Yeah.

Thank you.

- It's f***ing strong.

- Is it?

I'll be in touch, Rico.

- Tell the boys I said, "What's up?"

- I will.

I signed up,

thinking I was gonna go over there

and protect my country.

My family.

We wanted payback for 9/11,

and you get there,

and you realize

the war wasn't even about any of that.

The enemy ain't out in the desert.

They're in the hallways and rooftops,

living rooms, kitchens.

Everybody's got a weapon.

Everybody.

Nobody knows who's who.

The only thing you can believe in

is surviving.

Protecting the guy to your left

and the guy to your right.

Side by side,

willing to die for each other.

By the time you start seeing

good friends' bodies held together

by a belt after a car bomb,

you get a kill-or-be-killed mentality.

It's okay.

No, it ain't.

Michelle, I'm worried

if I tell you these things,

you're gonna think differently of me,

and I...

I couldn't stand that.

I ain't gonna think that.

Our last mission, in the alley,

well, when Rico got hit,

I looked in his face,

and most of it was burned off.

I had to go in to get Steve.

I knew he was in trouble.

I'm done with killing.

And I ain't leading any more men

into a slaughter.

You have to call Carlson.

I know.

Mr. Carlson.

- My name is...

- No names.

All right. What's the problem?

I'm a Staff Sergeant, a squad leader,

two tours, Afghanistan and Iraq,

and I just got stop-lossed.

They're shipping me back

at the end of the month.

There's so many of you guys out there.

I've heard it before. It's the same story,

and you eventually call me.

Do you understand what I do?

I strip away who you are.

I set you down in a foreign place

where you're gonna live

the rest of your life

pretending to be someone else.

Do you want that?

I can't go home. I can't go back.

I got no other options.

I need your services.

I won't be able to discuss this further

over the phone.

Do you have some money?

Like a grand?

I have a few bucks.

Well, when you get a grand,

start driving north

toward New York City.

- Not a bad price.

- Thank you, sir.

Come on. This is a good opportunity.

Rainey said that people will just line up

to buy a Cadillac from a vet.

Yeah, not with a BCD.

It's not like you're gonna

hang it on the showroom wall, Tommy.

What's a BCD?

It's the big chicken dinner.

It's what we call it in the Army.

It's a Bad Conduct Discharge.

We gonna shoot this sh*t up, or what?

That shotgun loaded?

What's the first rule

of weapon safety, Tommy?

Always assume every weapon is loaded.

Yes, sir.

Sorry.

Where are you going?

I'm going back to the bunkhouse,

write a hit song.

Don't feel like shooting sh*t up today

'Cause we'll put a boot in your ass

It's the American way

Hey, Uncle Sam...

- Later, guys.

- All right, man.

Later, Tommy.

Brought to you courtesy

of the red, white and blue

Of my red, white and blue

I spotted you guys from a mile off.

Oh, well.

What happened?

I just had a run-in with a couple guys.

Yeah. That kind of sh*t happens

when you're on the run.

All you guys get popped eventually.

Is this a package deal?

Just one for now.

- You thought about this?

- Yes, sir.

'Cause one-way means one-way.

You go, you're going for good,

unless you get f***ed with extradition.

Pardon my French.

I don't want you calling me up crying

how you can't go to grandma's funeral

back in Tennessee.

Texas.

We're from Texas.

Whatever.

I just want it all laid out straight.

Canada's not that bad.

I just had a guy up there,

got married to a real sweet local girl.

Loves Toronto.

Says it's a lot like New York.

I ain't so crazy about New York, so far.

You got any other options?

Like, what about Mexico?

Look, I don't know sh*t about Mexico.

Here's your new I.D.

They'll fix in the photos

before you leave.

Day after tomorrow,

somebody will meet you

at this address in Buffalo.

Take you over.

- You got the money?

- Here.

No refunds, right?

Got it. Half now and half across.

Go make your calls.

Say your goodbyes.

Hi, Mom?

He did what?

When?

I don't...

Let me call you back, Mom.

Tommy shot himself out at the ranch.

Left, face.

This flag

is presented on behalf

of a grateful nation

and the United States Army

as a token of appreciation

for your loved one's

honorable and faithful service.

Come on, Ida. Let's go.

Look who came home.

That's for f***ing running out on us.

And that's for coming back

too f***ing late.

And that's on general principle.

F*** you.

You're throwing everything

in your life away.

You stupid...

Y'all gonna get yourselves killed,

you know that? Do you hear me?

Shut the f*** up.

So you just go over there

and you do your f***ing duty.

You see this?

You see this?

This is you next.

Steve.

You don't f***ing belong here!

I don't... I don't even know you anymore!

Maybe you don't.

Bullshit!

I've known every thought in your head

since we were f***ing stealing

Playboys from the f***ing bus station.

That was a long time ago.

Then, please. Tell me.

Tell me what you've been thinking,

because nothing in the last few days

has made any f***ing sense

to me at all.

You know that box inside your head?

That box inside your head where you...

You put all the bad sh*t

you can't deal with?

Well, mine's full.

And it's spilling out.

Steve, it is full of all the people

I got killed.

Preacher.

Randy.

Harvey.

Thomas.

All the rest I've lost

in this f***ed-up war.

Think how many people

would have f***ing died

if you wouldn't have been there!

Including me!

Steve, I didn't do

what I was supposed to do!

I f***ed up!

If you don't fall in beside us,

it all comes apart.

The ranch always felt so safe.

You'll find another place

and make it safe.

Sir.

Damn.

You okay?

Across that border,

that ain't gonna be me

coming up the other side, Mich.

It's gonna be the ghost of me.

Brandon, please.

And never the ranch.

Never you and Dad, never Brazos.

This war ain't never gonna

be behind me.

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