Thunderheart Page #6

COOCH:

I know where I am. I'm on federal

land, doing a federal investigation,

and if you don't wanna cooperate you

can take a ride in a federal car,

and spend the rest of the day in a

little room, answering federal

questions. It's your call. Who are

you?

CROW HORSE:

I'm a full blood Oglala Sioux, born

and raised on this reservation.

COOCH:

You're a wise-ass. Ray check his

wallet.

RAY:

I did.

COOCH:

Who the f*** is he?

RAY:

-- a f***ing cop.

A pause. A long, dead of South Dakota, Badlands pause. Cooch

turns and looks at Ray who holds up the open wallet, revealing

a badge. Like Cooch's it shines in the sun.

RAY:

Walter Crow Horse. Tribal Police.

Cooch stands staring at the Indian... then takes a few steps

over to Ray and grabs the wallet. He examines it. Then looks

at Crow Horse and laughs.

COOCH:

He's a f***ing cop.

The Indian cop has plenty of time to get up on his own but

he kneels there, tauntingly, waiting for Ray to help him.

Ray walks over and offers a hand. Crow Horse takes it, and

pulls himself up, looking square into Ray's sunglasses.

Cooch walks over and hands the officer his wallet, and his

.23. Crow Horse takes the items, eyeing the older agent.

CROW HORSE:

We got the wire ya was comin'. You're

the Indian official, yeah?

COOCH:

No. No, that's Ray, here. Ray, uh...

(searching his

imagination)

Ray... Little Weasel.

Ray does a take but quickly recovers, meeting Crow Horse's

scrutinizing gaze. Crow Horse nods to Ray, and Ray nods back

in case it's the Indian thing to do. Crow Horse nods again.

Ray nods again.

CROW HORSE:

Leo's gotta get to burial, Brother.

He's gotta make the journey.

COOCH:

What journey?

CROW HORSE:

Tell him, Ray.

Ray stares at Crow Horse, uneasy. The wind sings through the

Badlands.

RAY:

Leo has to take the journey, Cooch.

COOCH:

We'll have to give Leo a refund.

Because he's gotta go to the M.E. In

case you don't know, Officer,

violation of the Major Crimes Act on --

CROW HORSE:

-- an Indian Reservation is within

the jurisdiction of the Federal Bureau

of Intimidation. I know that.

COOCH:

Good. Thank you.

Crow Horse says something in Sioux to Ray. Ray just stares.

CROW HORSE:

I said when can Leo be taken to

ceremony?

RAY:

After we've completed our

investigation.

Crow Horse is staring at Ray.

CROW HORSE:

That's a nice suit.

Ray looks offended. Cooch puts a hand on Crow Horse's shoulder

and walks him toward his beat-up motorcycle.

COOCH:

Somebody must be doing something

somewhere in your jurisdiction,

Officer Crow Foot.

CROW HORSE:

You ain't gonna cut his hands off

and send 'em to Washinton, are ya?

They done that to one of our girls

once. Leo did quillwork, he's gonna

need his hands.

Crow Horse turns and looks at Ray. Ray is quick this time.

RAY:

Leo's gonna need his hands, Cooch.

He does quillwork.

COOCH:

I think Leo's retired from quillwork

for the moment.

CROW HORSE:

Respect the dead, Hoss. Because when --

COOCH:

-- did you understand me when I said

that --

CROW HORSE:

(walking away)

-- violation of the Major Crimes Act

on an Indian Reservation is within

the jurisdiction of the Federal Bureau

of Instigation. I know that.

COOCH:

Goodbye.

Crow Horse appears to be getting on his bike when suddenly

he moves like a cat and lays his knife to the dead man's

head. He cuts away a patch of hair.

COOCH:

What the hell you doing?!

CROW HORSE:

His mother needs a piece of his hair.

It's for the Keeping of the Souls

Ceremony.

(wrapping lock of

hair)

Has to be kept for four days.

Cooch and Ray stand there, watching Crow Horse mount his

bike and push off down a nasty slope back through the

Badlands. He starts his motor. It dies. Then starts again.

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