"TRINITY" - PART 5

EXT. CAMP - NIGHT

LIGHTNING AND THUNDER. Torrential rain pelts the camp.

INT. HUT #4 - BACK ROOM

Despair prevails. Stahlberg stares grimly out the window.

STAHLBERG'S POV - The hundred yards to the wire might as well be a hundred miles.

The caved-in tunnel is now a finger lake that stops just short of the wire. Lightning flashes reflect off the water.

THE WATER FLASHES AND REFLECTS - from the searchlight that plays up and down the length of the ditch. It stops just short of the hut with each sweep.

STAHLBERG - a smile inches across his face. He strides from the rear room to the front window - Moelders follows.

He looks out in time to SEE a lightning flash illuminate Ray and Williams as they leave the cooler.

STAHLBERG

Tell the men to get ready, Hans. We go tonight.

MOELDERS

Excellent!

(frowns)

We are short one man. What if Anton talks?

STAHLBERG

Heyer knows even more about explosives than Anton does, and he will keep his silence...

EXT. CAMP - NIGHT

Ponchos flapping, Ray and Williams are soaked as they slog across the field.

WILLIAMS

I’m sure there’s more goin' on here than meets the eye, sir.

(Ray nods)

We push Leutnant Held a bit, he might just 'fess up, sir.

RAY

No third degree, Sergeant Major. We're not them.

WILLIAMS

(A “look”)

Yes, sir.

Ray doesn’t catch Williams’ tone and misses the implication.

Prager’s lit by the searchlight as he opens his hut door.

PRAGER

Captain Cline. May I have permission to join you, sir?

RAY

You want to get soaked, come on out, Colonel.

STAHLBERG'S POV OUT THE WINDOW - Prager approaches the Americans. A moment of gestures, he accompanies them to the main gate.

STAHLBERG

Sheisse!

He turns to the others, who look up from getting their gear together.

STAHLBERG

Hurry! Oberst Prager has gone to the Amis.

A HUBBUB ensues.

EXT. CAMP HEADQUARTERS - NIGHT

The three, dripping wet, step onto the H.Q. porch.

PRAGER

You are a soldier, Captain Cline. He must be arrested. It is for the good of my men.

RAY

I understand, Colonel. We'll have to go see Major Brand.

EXT. HUT #4 - NIGHT

Shadows emerge out the side window and move to the rear of the hut.

Stahlberg and Molders stand in the shadow along the wall as the searchlight stops three feet short of their position, leaving them in the shadows.

They eye the ditch as the searchlight plays along it, moving toward the fence...

STAHLBERG

See? We swim. That's how. We time ourselves to the light.

INT. WATCHTOWER - NIGHT

Corporal Scott watches the yard as a PRIVATE beside him plays the searchlight. Scott lights a Lucky to keep warm.

INT. HEADQUARTERS - NIGHT

Brand, in a rain slicker, enters.

BRAND

What's this all about, Colonel?

PRAGER

I request that you place Hauptmann Stahlberg under arrest until the war is over.

BRAND

That could be a long time.

PRAGER

(shakes his head)

It will come soon, Major Brand, and it is my duty to protect my men. Stahlberg is a hothead.

He could create... a situation where things could become... unfortunate. It is in the best interest of my men and yours that he is removed.

COUNT PUNSKI - lowers himself into the water and moves slowly toward the fence...a moment...Emmerer follows...

STAHLBERG - watches the light play over the water: closer - closer - Punski and Emmerer duck.

UNDERWATER WITH PUNSKI AND EMMERER - The light plays over them as they move forward, pushing themselves along the walls...air bubbles escape their mouths...

CORPORAL SCOTT - butts his smoke and stares at the ditch.

PUNSKI - looks up at the light as it lights the surface just ahead of him...

SCOTT'S POV - The light reflects off the rain-pocked surface.

EMMERER - is almost at the end of his endurance as the light comes back overhead - it dances as rain beats the surface...

AT THE END OF THE DITCH - A head emerges from underwater.

PUNSKI - scrambles out as Emmerer appears behind him. Punski pulls Emmerer out of the water and they crawl to the fence.

THE LIGHT - moves down the ditch, away from them.

STAHLBERG - watches the light approach and then head away.

IN THE HEADQUARTERS OFFICE - Ray watches Brand and Prager.

BRAND

We'll do it tomorrow, Colonel.

PRAGER

It must be tonight!

Brand glances out the window at a LIGHTNING FLASH and BOOM.

BRAND

What could possibly happen in this?

(Prager starts to protest)

In the morning, Colonel Prager.

PUNSKI - grasps the wire cutter and starts to cut the wire.

Behind him, Emmerer watches. Punski makes the cut. No alarm.

SCOTT - slaps his arms around himself to get warm. The PRIVATE plays the searchlight on the ditch.

STAHLBERG - turns to TWO OTHER POWs. The three watch the light come to the end of the ditch, pause, then head away.

Stahlberg gives them a push - the two scramble into the ditch with a SMALL SPLASH and disappear underwater.

TWO OTHER POWS appear behind Stahlberg.

IN THE HEADQUARTERS OFFICE - Ray pours two coffees and hands one to Prager.

RAY

Chain of command, Colonel.

PRAGER

You must understand, Captain Cline, it is difficult to come to you. Hauptmann Stahlberg is an honorable officer.

IN THE DITCH - UNDERWATER - POW #1 looks up as the light heads back over him. BEHIND HIM - a burst of bubbles from POW #2 - he rises to the surface!

THE TWO POWS SURFACE - They both gasp for air a moment.

THE LIGHT - heads back toward them - they duck underwater.

RAY - looks out the window as lightning flashes.

RAY

Yes, Colonel. I’m sure they’re all honorable soldiers.

PUNSKI - pulls POW #1 out of the ditch. The two of them help POW #2 out; he’s at the limit of his endurance. Punski pushes him into the darkness toward the fence.

EXT. HEADQUARTERS - The door opens, a flash of light. Ray pulls his raincoat tighter and closes the door behind him as Prager steps out.

MOELDERS - pushes two more POWs into the ditch as the light recedes toward the fence.

RAY AND PRAGER - squelch through the mud to the gate. The SENTRY opens it and they enter the camp.

STAHLBERG - goes to Heyer’s piano. He reaches inside with a wrench and removes a piano wire.

UNDERWATER - POW #1 AND #2 frog-swim through the murky water as the light stabs down above them.

SCOTT’S POV - THE DITCH - the water a bright circle where the light plays on it.

OUTSIDE THE COOLER - A shadow appears out of the darkness and hugs the wall.

STAHLBERG

Anton. Anton, wake up.

HEYER AND PUNSKI - pull the two POWS out of the ditch and push them on their way.

ANTON HELD - gets off his bunk and goes to the window.

STAHLBERG (O.S.)

It is time.

MOELDERS AND TISCHLER - slip into the ditch.

ANTON HELD - rises and sticks his head out. A beat...

UNDERWATER - The light plays over Moelders and Tischler. A moment - a burst of bubbles from Tischler and he rises to the surface. Moelders lunges after him.

RAY AND PRAGER - squelch across the muddy soccer field.

ANTON HELD - silently crumples onto his bunk. There’s a broad smear of blood down the wall.

MOELDERS - struggles with Tischler as he holds him underwater. They’re wreathed in bubbles as Tischler struggles to get air. A long moment - Tischler loses his last air. Moelders moves on to the end of the ditch.

RAY AND PRAGER - arrive at Prager’s hut.

PRAGER

I wish to speak to Leutnant Held tomorrow.

RAY

First thing, Colonel. Good night, sir.

STAHLBERG - flattens himself against the wall of Prager’s hut as the door SLAMS behind Prager. He WATCHES Ray turn and head back toward the gate, then disappears in shadow.

HEYER - eases into the water as Stahlberg returns.

HEYER

Erich, I thought you had gone.

STAHLBERG

I left them a message.

STAHLBERG - eases into the water next to Heyer.

SCOTT - grimaces as lightning flashes and thunder BOOMS.

STAHLBERG AND HEYER - duck as the searchlight nears them.

RAY - crosses the soccer field.

MOELDERS - crawls through the opening in the wire fence.

HEYER - his eyes go wide as he sees the BODY of Oberleutnant Harald Tischler below him! Stahlberg pushes him forward...

RAY - heads through the gate.

MOELDERS - looks back through the fence at the watchtower...

SCOTT - stares down at the prison yard. Rain pours.

PUNSKI - pulls Heyer out of the ditch as LIGHTNING FLASHES.

STAHLBERG - crawls out.

RAY - steps onto the HQ porch and opens the door. A flash of light as he does so then it closes behind him. Darkness.

OUTSIDE THE CAMP - Punski holds the wire open as Heyer crawls through, followed by Stahlberg.

LIGHTNING ILLUMINATES STAHLBERG’s FACE - as he turns and looks back at the camp a moment. THUNDER BOOMS.

STAHLBERG

Auf Wiedersehen, schwartzhunden.

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