Basic

Basic by Jamie Vanderbilt FIRST DRAFT MARCH 27, 2000 OVER BLACK: The sound of HELICOPTER ROTORS slicing through the air. STYLES (O.S.) Jesus, God. . . FADE IN ON: An ARMY HELICOPTER as it soars over the thick LOUISIANA BAYOU. Lush and green only a day ago, the foliage below has been ripped to shreds. The kind of damage that can only be done by nature. SUPERIMPOSE:, FEBRUARY 2 - 0630 HOURS - 32 KILOMETERS NORTH OF FORT MCKINLEY, LOUISIANA INT. ARMY HELICOPTER (FLYING) -- SUNRISE Sitting next to the PILOT is COLONEL WILLIAM STYLES. Mid- 40's, normally gruff, but completely cowed by the damage below. The PILOT, unfazed. PILOT Hurricane Beth, huh? Had an ex-wife named Beth, this is pretty much par for the course. This area got the worst of it, I hope these guys are all intact- STYLES That's enough, Lieutenant. SOMEONE'S P.O.V. - RUNNING through the underbrush - ducking branches, pushing through bushes, splashing through streams. LABORED BREATHING wheezes over the sound track. We're headed for a CLEARING... INT. ARMY HELICOPTER (FLYING) -- SUNRISE The Pilot pushes his stick forward, descending to tree level. PILOT Coming up on the pick-up. EXT. CLEARING -- DAWN TWO MEN emerge from the underbrush at a run. The BIGGER MAN carrying the wounded SMALLER MAN over his shoulder. Both in ragged army cadet fatigues - ripped, muddy, and bloody. The Bigger Man lowers the Smaller Man to the ground and unshoulders his M-16. Face panicked. The sound of the HELICOPTER approaching... 2.