"TRINITY" - PART 13

Some truths emerge…

EXT. THE ARROYO - NEXT MORNING

Punski and Emmerer clamber over the rocks as they search for their gear. Punski finds a pair of saddlebags. Emmerer finds the Springfield, muddy, but intact.

EXT. AERIAL - MORNING

Kelly's Beech Staggerwing flies over the mountains. The propeller glints in the morning light.

EXT. THE HOGAN - MORNING

Stahlberg uses a tree-limb crutch to hobble out of the hogan, accompanied by Heyer. They hear the DISTANT SOUND of an airplane. Heyer looks up and shades his eyes.

HEYER'S POV - In the distance, the silver Staggerwing flies across the mountains in their general direction.

STAHLBERG

They must not see us.

Heyer helps Stahlberg back inside.

INT. DOCTOR’S OFFICE - BEDROOM - DAY

Ray sits up in the bed. Agent Kelly and Williams are seated by the bed. Kelly opens a map and hands it to Ray.

KELLY

Show me exactly where you lost them.

Ray studies the map a long moment, then points.

RAY

Up here in the Burros was where we ran across them. Where they shot down your plane.

Ray traces along on the map.

RAY

We lost the trail here. They headed east instead of north. We found them here, just before the flood hit.

Williams watches as Kelly studies the map a moment. He looks out the window at the mountains.

KELLY

We're breathing on them.

RAY

Nobody could have survived that flood, Mr. Kelly.

KELLY

I'll believe that when I see the bodies. Until then...

(Stares out the window)

They're out there. And when they get back on track...

Kelly SLAMS down his fist as if squashing a bug!

KELLY

I’ll see you get transportation back to your camp.

RAY

No, sir! This is our job.

Kelly regards him a moment, considering, then leaves.

WILLIAMS

I’d best check the men, sir.

RAY

Sergeant Major...

Williams turns back.

RAY (Cont)

I owe you an apology.

He climbs out of the bed, stiff.

RAY (Cont)

...more than one, in fact. I’ve made a lot of mistakes here, from not having the trench filled back at camp which led to your uncle being killed...

This isn’t coming easy. Williams regards him, surprised.

RAY (Cont)

We might have caught them if I’d listened to you and Bates. We almost lost them because of me...

They’re face to face. A long moment.

WILLIAMS

Thank you, sir.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. MOUNTAINS - DAWN - A RIFLE SHOT ECHOES

Count Punski, rifle in hand, emerges from the woods and runs over to the fallen doe.

THE COUNTRYSIDE HAS CHANGED FROM SPRING TO SUMMER, THE GREEN HILLS NOW BROWN.

Emmerer helps his comrade tie the deer to a pole. Both men have heavier beards than when last seen.

EXT. MOUNTAIN TRAIL - DAY

The five Buffalo Soldiers appear as they ride across a ridge.

RAY - is more recovered, but still stiff. He wears a frustrated expression at the failure to find the enemy.

They ride on through the summer-brown countryside.

EXT. HOTEL - SILVER CITY - THAT NIGHT

A flickering firelight comes from behind the building.

RAY’S EYES reflect the flickering light as he stares into the flames.

WIDER TO SEE the others are wrapped in their blankets in the impromptu camp behind the hotel.

WILLIAMS stirs under his blanket and awakens. He looks over, across the fire, at the hunched figure of Ray.

WILLIAMS

(Comes over to the fire)

You can’t sleep either, sir?

Ray looks up, surprised to see Williams as he sits across the fire from Ray.

RAY

No.

(A moment)

Thinking about how we - how I - underestimated Stahlberg from the beginning.

WILLIAMS

No one could have known what he was up to, sir.

RAY

(Shakes his head)

Kelly’s right. If they were dead, we’d have found them by now.

(Stares into the dark)

They’re out there...

A moment between them as they both look into the fire.

RAY

How did you win the Croix de Guerre, Sergeant-Major?

WILLIAMS

(Touches it a moment)

This? In the Great War - the last one. Was stayin’ with my aunt ‘n uncle in New York - my Ma died, my Pa was here in the Tenth. I was fifteen. Ran off an’ enlisted in the three-sixty-ninth Infantry - the Harlem Hellraisers.

(Smiles)

We introduced the Frenchies to jazz.

Ray sits forward, interested. Williams is momentarily lost in memory.

WILLIAMS

June 20th, 1918 - we were the 93rd Division...the Army’d given us to fight with the French. My patrol ran into a Kraut patrol in No Man’s Land.

(Long pause)

I killed me a bunch of them, managed to pull back the others, all but two. I went back for them, Krauts threw a grenade...

Ray’s look becomes very intense as he sees tears form in Williams’ eyes.

WILLIAMS

Lieutenant Larson came out ‘n pulled me back in. He died savin’ me...French gave me the Croix de Guerre...Army gave me the Silver Star.

Ray looks at Williams with new understanding.

RAY

I lost Corporal Stevens and Private Willis at Dieppe. They came out for me, too.

Ray’s turn to be lost in memory. A long moment.

WILLIAMS

(Real soft)

Captain Cline, sir...?

(Ray looks over)

It’s not your fault, not about Stahlberg...not Uncle Walker...

not those two men back then.

(Ray lowers his head)

Don’t be so hard on yourself, sir. The men believe in you. You can’t ask for more than that.

WILLIAMS’ POV OF RAY - he looks at CAMERA a long moment, then away.

The tears in his eyes glisten in the firelight.

EXT. HOGAN - NEXT DAY

Heyer and Emmerer wrap supplies in a blanket.

Count Punski leads their surviving horse over to the hogan entrance.

MOELDERS

What are you doing, Krupinski?

COUNT PUNSKI

We have to pay the old man for his hospitality, Hans.

MOELDERS

Not with that, you idiot!

COUNT PUNSKI

One horse for five will only slow us down, and it will be harder to hide during the day.

MOELDERS

He won't need the horse.

Count Punski stares at Moelders. Slowly, his meaning dawns.

EXT. THE ARROYO - DAY

Hooves CLATTER sharply on the rocks. Scott in the van, the Buffalo Soldiers come into view around a bend in the Arroyo.

Ray and Williams take in the signs of the flash flood.

THEIR POV - The landscape is scoured clean but with scattered debris dams. Roberts wrinkles his nose.

ROBERTS

God-a-mighty! What’s that smell?

SCOTT

(points to a debris dam)

Things rot pretty quick out here. Maybe it’s our Krauts.

Williams pulls a long branch loose and probes the debris.

WILLIAMS

I wouldn’t count on it.

RAY

They could be anywhere.

WILLIAMS

‘Cept there’s nowhere to hide.

RAY

We’ll try farther on.

They continue their search.

INT. HOGAN - DAY

It’s dark inside here. The old Navajo sits by the fire and stares into the flickering firelight.

BEHIND HIM, Stahlberg hefts his Bowie knife. Flames dance on the bright steel.

The old man GASPS as Stahlberg jerks him to his feet and puts the knife to his throat! A LOUD CLICK and...

COUNT PUNSKI (O.S.)

Halt!

Stahlberg freezes. Then, blade still in place, he turns with the old man as a shield.

STAHLBERG'S POV - CLOSE - The muzzle of Count Punski's Colt .45 Peacemaker at CAMERA.

BEHIND IT, the Count's eyes reflect the fire...

COUNT PUNSKI

Kill him, you die, Stahlberg.

STAHLBERG

And let him give us away?

COUNT PUNSKI

The Amis are his enemies too. Put down the knife.

STAHLBERG

Or what?

COUNT PUNSKI

Now, Stahlberg.

Stahlberg suddenly shoves the old Navajo into the fire!

Punski is distracted as the old man scrambles to safety.

Stahlberg grabs the pistol!

STAHLBERG

Stand at attention, Hauptmann Krupinski!

Punski reflexively snaps to attention. Stahlberg holds the muzzle under Punski's chin.

STAHLBERG

Do not forget, Hauptmann, you swore an oath on your honor to our Fuehrer. On your life. We are at war, within the enemy's own borders.

Stahlberg swings the gun around at the old Navajo but still watches the conflicting emotions on Punski's face.

Stahlberg suddenly smiles.

STAHLBERG

You are right, my Count. We are soldiers, not murderers.

Stahlberg hands the Colt back to a surprised Punski.

EXT. ARROYO HILLSIDE - DAY

Scott and Roberts search the rocks. Ray and Williams see Scott find a broken rifle stock. Williams rides over for a closer look but stops at the sound of SHEEP BLEATING.

WILLIAMS

Captain...

RAY

I hear them.

WILLIAMS

Where there's sheep, there's a shepherd.

EXT. HOGAN - DAY

Stahlberg emerges, followed by Punski. He pats the horse.

STAHLBERG

An excellent gift, my Count.

Moelders is confused.

EXT. TRAIL -DAY

The Buffalo Soldiers follow the SOUND OF THE SHEEP.

EXT. MEADOW - HOGAN - DAY

Grazing sheep scatter as the Buffalo Soldiers ride through the flock toward the Hogan.

Ray sees the horse.

RAY

Weapons at the ready. Spread out.

They spread wide and approach the hogan slowly..

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