"TRINITY" PART 2

Gonna drop these faster than before. More like WBD.

INT. ARMY STAKE BED TRUCK - DAY

SIX GERMAN SOLDIERS in threadbare uniforms, hang on for dear life despite their handcuffs and shackles as the truck slews around a curve, jouncing on the washboard road. The last in line - OBERLEUTNANT HARALD TISCHLER - is covered in dust.

IN THE CAB - a CORPORAL drives, a thick manila envelope on the seat beside him. He wears a sidearm.

RAY CLINE, in uniform, Captain’s bars on his shoulder, hangs on for dear life in the passenger seat.

THE WIPERS - snick back and forth, clearing dust and sand from the windshield and replacing it with scratches.

IN BACK - THE SIX GERMAN SOLDIERS intently scan the forbidding landscape as they point out certain features and contemplate escape despite what they see.

RAY - looks out the window - the sun sears Saguaro sentinels in the rugged, hard-scrabble Sonoran Desert.

THE TRUCK - bounces along the trail. Jagged mountains are purple in the distance.

A GILA MONSTER BESIDE THE ROAD - HISSES a territorial warning as the truck races past and disappears in the dust.

CLOSE - A CHESTFULL OF MILITARY RIBBONS - one the red-white-blue of the Silver Star, one the Purple Heart, one the Great War Campaign Medal, one the Good Conduct Medal.

WIDER TO REVEAL - REGIMENTAL SERGEANT MAJOR OF CAVALRY MARCUS WILLIAMS - a Black John Wayne, uniform sharp and completely regulation, a Windsor knot in the tie at his throat. Around his left shoulder, the golden cord of the French Croix de Guerre; wreathed by the award on his shoulder is the patch of the 369th Infantry Regiment - “The Harlem Hellfighters.”

HIS POV - CAMP GLADDEN - LATE AFTERNOON

Guard towers and barbed wire surround 30 quonset huts. The summit of Apache Peak lit by the last of the sun. The barren desert stretches in all directions, belying “TALES FROM THE VIENNA WOODS” played on an old piano in one of the huts.

EXT. GUARD TOWER - LATE AFTERNOON

CORPORAL EBENEZER SCOTT, mid-20s, black, glares down at the German POWs, who are engaged in a lively soccer game.

SCOTT

Guardin' these bastards...I'd rather be shootin' 'em over there in the war.

Next to him, SERGEANT WILSON BATES, 10 years older, black, lights up, spits a loose bit of tobacco.

BATES

You be thankin' your lucky stars you're the new Corporal of the Guard 'round here, Ebbie Scott. Over to the war, they be sendin' you on the Red Ball Express. No fightin’ fer the likes a’ you.

SCOTT

Peckerwoods stand aside, the 761st Armored comes through.

BATES

You never be one a them. You got the best duty you'll ever see in this man's Army, you mark my words.

INT. PRISON CAMP OFFICE - LATE AFTERNOON

CORPORAL THIERRY ROBERTS, black, beefy, sits at the desk and works his adding machine. He pulls the total lever, looks up as Sergeant Major Williams enters.

ROBERTS

Comes to two hundred seventeen dollars and fifty-eight cents, Sergeant Major.

Williams “mounts up” at his desk, reluctantly.

WILLIAMS

Krauts won't eat white bread, Corporal, Army says we give ‘em whole wheat.

ROBERTS

But the Major'll find a way to round the corners on the three squares we're s'posed to get.

WILLIAMS

You won't miss a pound or two, Roberts.

EX. PRISON PLAYING FIELD - LATE AFTERNOON

HAUPTMANN ERICH STAHLBERG, 30, the Aryan ideal, raises his hand in a signal and takes a pass from AFRIKA KORPS OBERLEUTNANT KARL-FRIEDRICH EMMERER, 24, skin like well-tanned leather over spring steel.

STAHLBERG - expertly dodges an opponent’s attempt to get the ball and passes it on to ...

LUFTWAFFE FIGHTER ACE HAUPTMANN HEINRICH "COUNT PUNSKI" KRUPINSKI, 25, who fakes out an opponent and kicks a well-aimed shot into the goal.

WILLIAMS - crosses the parade ground to the guards' barracks.

He sees...

MAJOR WILLIS BRAND - who rides his mount stiffer than a lead Hussar. 50, he's in jodhpurs, Sam Browne belt, a World War I steel helmet low over his eyes, two pearl-handled Colt Peacemakers at his waist.

WILLIAMS - eyes the rider, then snaps a salute as Major Brand passes. Brand responds with an aristocrat's nod.

ON THE SOCCER FIELD - the game stops and all eyes watch the Army truck that stops inside the perimeter gate as steam geysers from the radiator. The Germans in back spit dust.

THE CORPORAL - climbs out of the cab and angrily bangs the hood of the overheated truck. He takes a long drink from the leather water bag, slung in front of the grill.

WILLIAMS AND BATES - stride over. The Corporal takes the envelope from the seat and hands it to Williams.

CORPORAL

I loaded six, you got six. Just sign the receipt.

Williams takes and signs the receipt stapled to the envelope and hands the paper to the driver.

RAY - climbs out the other side of the cab. He watches as Williams goes to the back of the truck, takes a key from his pocket and tosses it up to Oberleutnant Tischler.

WILLIAMS

Prisoners! Raus!! Kommen sie!

Tischler unlocks his restraints and passes the key to the next man, and so on, then back to Tischler. The six POWs push their U.S. Army bags off the truck and jump down.

Williams holds out his hand for the key. Tischler’s defiant.

BANG! The Germans jump as a shot kicks dust at Tischler’s heel! He drops the key.

RAY - sees Bates holster his smoking .45 automatic.

A satisfied look on his face, Williams turns back to Tischler and holds his hand out for the key. Tischler stoops to retrieve it and finds a decapitated rattlesnake. He gingerly grabs the key and gives it to Williams.

WILLIAMS

Prisoners! Atten-hut!

STAHLBERG - notes with a smile that they do not "snap to."

WILLIAMS

(IN SUB-TITLED GERMAN)

Welcome to Camp Gladden, your home for the rest of the war. You're here because you’ve demonstrated that no other camp is escape proof.

(Germans smirk and nod.)

This one is. Don't let our looks surprise you - as you saw on your way in, it's a long way to the nearest town, with nothing in between. What you see is all there is for 300 kilometers in any direction.

(They regard him)

If that doesn't convince you, let me assure you that these guards have been in this region for years. They know it like the back of their hand. There's no place you can hide they can't find you.

(they still look defiant)

Take them away, Sergeant Bates.

BATES

Yes, sir! Shoulder gear! Right face! Forward, march!

As the Germans march off, Ray comes around the front of the truck. Williams is nonplused for an instant...

HIS POV - RAY’S CHEST - the red-white-blue of the Silver Star, the Purple Heart, and the European Campaign Medal.

WILLIAMS

(Nods)

Captain Cline, sir. We were expecting you tomorrow.

Ray takes in a “read” of Williams’ “fruit salad” in the same way Williams did.

RAY

I managed to catch the same train the prisoners were on.

Williams notices the “Ranger” badge on Ray’s left shoulder.

WILLIAMS

I understand you were at Dieppe, sir.

RAY

(Surprised by that)

Yes, I was, Sergeant Major.

WILLIAMS

(Nods, approves)

If you’ll come with me, sir, we’ll get you checked in.

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