FADE IN:

FULL FRAME an old, weather worn, black and white photo of 1940's era lumberjacks clearing timber. 

INT. OLD ABANDONED WOODEN OFFICE SHACK - DAY PRESENT

Sun light beams through cracked and broken panes of glass onto a desk covered with old photos. 

Movement is heard but unseen. Something rummages in the old office. 

A sudden loud crash and decades worth of dust is sent drifting through the sunlight. 

Photos are knocked from the desk and spilled across the wooden floor. 

Photo of lumberjacks building wood frame structures has landed on a clump of fresh soil.  

Another photo shows men in lab coats studying a TIMBER tree creature chained inside a jail cell like cage under the protective eye of armed soldiers. 

BRUTUS is stenciled on a sign, hung from the cage.

Other photos show men planting TIMBER cuttings in pots. 

Final photo, a large wood structure surrounded by a tall chain link fence.    

Slowly, color appears in the photo and vegetation has grown indicating the passage of time until the photo has become a real life shot of lush green foliage and thick undergrowth.

EXT. CAMP - DAY

There is a hole in the fence now, fresh bits of shiny black clothe are torn off around it.  

Soil is slightly dug up leading to and from the fence.  But the forest is deadly silent. No animals, no birds, and no insects for miles around. 

But something is here.

EXT. HIGH ABOVE CAMP - DAY

Peaceful, silent, the forest below is beautiful.  A dark green and yellow helicopter cuts across the frame in a loud explosion of rotor and engine noise. Company name is made out clearly on the side NORTHEAST LUMBER COMPANY.

INT. HELICOPTER  

BILLY FARREL the pilot, 54, haggard looking with jaded attitude.  He wears a blue tee shirt with HE'S DEAD,JIM printed on the front.  In the next seat sits JEFF TOMPKINS 28, lumber company surveyor.  He points out his window.

TOMPKINS
	Billy, what the hell's that?

EXT. AERIAL VIEW OF CAMP 

The camp has noticeably less growth than the forest around it.  A half dozen main buildings are spread out evenly along a small stream.  Scant glimpses of water sparkle through the trees as the chopper banks to the north.  The tops of larger oaks and maples sway and bend under the backwash of the helicopter's blades.  

INT. HELICOPTER                        

BILLY
(Shrugs unconcerned)
	Never saw it before.

TOMPKINS
	It’d make a nice base camp.  

Tompkins raises a camera to his eye. 

BILLY
			These woods been sealed off for 
				60 years. 

EXT. HELICOPTER 

The Helicopter swoops in low over the camp. Tompkins snaps pictures quickly.                     

INT. HELICOPTER

TOMPKINS
	Can you take us down?

BILLY
(Almost yelling)
	Are you all right!

TOMPKINS
	What…?  There’s a clearing right 
	over there.

BILLY
				I could loose my license just 
				being up here. I ain’t going 
				down there.

                TOMPKINS
	You don’t have to get out.  Just 
	keep the engine running.

BILLY
	I’ll hover and you can jump. 

TOMPKINS
			Just land the damn thing!

BILLY
	All right, but I’m doing 
	it under protest.

EXT/INT. HELICOPTER

Tompkins shakes his head as Billy banks the helicopter around to bring it in for a landing in the clearing fifty yards from the main building. 

EXT. OLD CAMP 

Tompkins climbs out of the helicopter and ungracefully begins making his way toward the old run down buildings, snapping pictures.

INT. HELICOPTER 

Billy shakes his head as he watched Tompkins.

BILLY
  	No... NO!  Go easy, you damn 
	fool.  Watch out. Jesus! You 
	friggin’ idiot.

Billy shakes he head and begins unbuckling his seat belt.

EXT. MAINE FOREST - DAY

As far as the eye can see green forest rolls out over northern Maine.  The dry summer air is filled with dust from the fast paced activity of men and machines harvesting giant pines.  The forest comes to an abrupt end where the men are working.   Barren, scared hills are all that can be seen behind their line of advance.

EXT. FOREST TREE TOPS

One massive pine towers above those around it. 

EXT. FOREST- DAY

KURT WILDER, 46 a logger as tough as the oak handle of an ax, expertly severs the base of a pine from the earth with a chiansaw.  Loud snaps and explosive cracks blast from the trunk.  Kurt smiles and salutes the tree with his chainsaw in mimic of a gladiator.

					KURT
              Timber!

Even though the tree is starting to move Kurt stands his ground.  Savoring the death.

EXT. HARVEST FIELD ACCESS ROAD 

A makeshift dirt road has woven between the stumps of an otherwise barren raise in the landscape.  

HANK JORGENSON, 68 stops his company pickup alongside Kurt’s truck, a 20-year-old rust bucket. A giant, 250 pound Mastiff KONG lays in the truck bed, gnawing on a 2x4. 

Hank sighs, exits the pick up.  He walks with a thick oak cane and a noticeable limp. He pauses a few feet from  Kurt's truck, considers it a moment then shakes his head disapprovingly. 

Hank
			My best paid man drives this.
Hank steps to the truck, leans against it and greets Kong.

HANK
	Hey, big feller. How are ya?

Kong’s tail beats madly but he continues to chew. Hank playfully reaches for the 2x4. The tail freezes, Kong growls, and threatens to snap.  Hank pulls his hand back.
	
HANK
		      Easy, boy. I’m just playing.     

EXT. FOREST TREE TOPS 

The giant pine tilts, ever so slow and easy.

EXT. FOREST FLOOR 

Above Kurt the pine smashes through the forest canopy, thrashing for life in its final moments.  

The chainsaw idles down, grinding to a halt.  

At what seems the last possible moment of safety, Kurt turns his back to the falling timber and walks calmly away.

EXT. HARVEST FIELD ACCESS ROAD - DAY

HANK
(speaking out loud to himself)
	Hurry ya ass up, boy.
(speaking to Kong)
	He’s an asshole, ya know.  One 
			day a tree’s gonna kill him - 
			just like his father.

EXT. FOREST - DAY

The massive trunk slams into the forest floor, explodes in a shower of debris and dust, branches ripped from the trunk by the force of the impact.  

Kurt stops a dozen yards away and turns in quiet, humble victory.

EXT. BOTTOM HILL - DAY

Hank pauses where the terrain becomes too difficult for him to negotiate.  

Kong, the 2x4 clamped between his teeth, hurries ahead.

HANK
     Wilder, put down that damn saw 
     and get your ass over here.

Mesmerized by the fallen tree Kurt does not notice Hank or the rest of the world.

KURT
			Never get me, you bastards.

Hank shakes his head as clearing crews attack the pine.  

Kurt turns his attention to Hank. The moment is over.

HANK
	Do you know how much money North 
			East spends on logging equipment?  					Harvesters! Skidders? DOZERS?!  A 
			Goddamn Fell and Stacker alone? 
			Over half a million. Just one!

Kurt shows no emotion, as though he has no idea what Hank is talking about.

KURT
			What do you want?

HANK
			And still you use that damned 
			hand saw.

Kurt looks for Kong.  Kong carefully watches the clearing crew work.  Satisfied Kong is causing no trouble Kurt returns his attention to Hank.

KURT
	It’s in my blood, old man. Don’t
	you ever miss the rush of taking
	down one of those monsters?  

HANK
	Not since one of them buried ya 
	father. He was one of the best 
	in these woods.

Kurt looks back at the pine. 

KURT
	Maybe I just like doing it the 
	old way. Little more personal 
	with your hands.

HANK
  	You conduct your assassinations 
	on your own time. Not company.

Kurt, a slight grin on his face as he turns to eyeball his friend.

KURT
			Fair enough.  

Kurt and Hank shake hands, two old friends are meeting.
Hank puts an arm around Kurt’s shoulders and leads him back toward the pickup.
 
HANK
            	Got a job for you.  

EXT. ACCESS ROAD – DAY

Hank unfolds a map on the hood of his truck, he leans his
cane against the fender. 

Kong drops the 2X4 and eyes Hank’s oak cane.

                HANK
	Last month Billy flew a damn 
	fool surveyor into these woods 
	here.

EXT. MAP OF MAINE 

Hank's finger points to a circle penciled around a remote section of northern Maine.

EXT. ACCESS ROAD 

Kurt is surprised by what he sees.

Kong carefully steals the cane without Hank becoming aware. At the rear of the pick up he begins chewing away.

HANK
	Parslow’s been petitioning the 		    	Department of the Interior for 
	more than ten years to get the 
	timber rights up there.  He 
	finally hit the jackpot.

KURT
	Sixty years that land’s been 
	closed. Ever since my grandfather 
	was up there. 

Hank lights a cigarette and studies Kurt carefully.

Kurt looks out to the forest around him and hears his GRANDMOTHER’S VOICE from childhood. 

GRANDMOTHER
(voice only)
     Don’t trust the Timber, it’ll 
     take you if it can.

Kurt slowly returns his attention to Hank.

KURT
			What’s the job?

Hank hands the stack of photos to Kurt.

HANK
	There’s some kind of camp up 
			there. Parslow thinks we can 
			use it.

Kurt looks through the photos. 

HANK
	Billy says that clown Tompkins 
	only got a few pictures before 
	he tripped and broke his arm.

Kurt almost chuckles.

KURT
   	Did Billy have to get off his 
     ass and save him?
HANK
    	There’s still a fairly accessible 
	main road.

KURT
	It'll be grown over some. 

HANK
     A good crew can be through that 
	in a day. A week from Monday we 
	start harvesting. 

Kurt nods, absorbed by the photos.

KURT
	This is where my grandfather 
	was killed?

HANK
  	Well, son, here’s your chance 
	to find out what happened. 

Hank slaps Kurt on the back and smiles.  He reaches down for his cane. 

HANK
	Goddamn, that mutt! Where the 
	hell is he?

Hank makes his way to the end of the truck and finds Kong. Kong, is already on his feet snarling and snapping as he stands guard over his new prize. 

KURT
	Forget it, you ain’t never 
	getting that back.

HANK
	That’s the fourth goddamn one.  
	Son of a bitch!

Hank climbs into the truck and slams the door.

HANK
	Bangor, Monday morning. Five 
	sharp.

Hank pulls away and showers Kong with dirt and sawdust. Kong does not flinch. Kurt shakes his head. 

EXT. KURT'S DRIVEWAY - NIGHT

Headlights shine from the street as Kurt's pickup turns into his driveway. Kurt's home is a modest dwelling on a sparsely inhabited back country road. A wide front porch is dimly lite by the light of a single bulb over the front entryway. The truck breaks whine to a stop.  

Headlights fade and the engine chokes itself into peaceful silence. The driver's side door creaks open and a well worn logging boot steps out. Kong lands on the pavement behind Kurt. Hank's cane clamped in his teeth. 

Kong sniffs the air and heads off into the woods surrounding the house.

KURT 
			Don't be long.

Kurt carries two lunch coolers.  The larger one labeled KONG in black magic marker.  

Front door of the house is not locked, Kurt enters.
 
INT. KURT'S HOME/KITCHEN – NIGHT

Kurt opens his freezer. The complete contents include several white paper wrapped packages labeled with various animals, cuts, and dates, a half dozen glass beer mugs, and  two glass bowls. Kurt selects a steak, one mug, and one bowl. 

EXT. KURT'S HOME/BACK PORCH – NIGHT

A small light over the back door illuminates the floor where Kurt places the glass bowl, now heavily coated with frost.  

A frosty mug sits on a table.

A can of beer is cracked open loudly. Kurt looks out into  the darkness beyond the porch. 

No sound comes back to him, no sign of movement.  Kurt sighs and shakes his head then pours beer into the mug.  Kurt raises the mug and drains it. He looks at a second can of beer.

EXT. KURT'S BACKYARD – NIGHT.

Blackness envelops the Maine woods. The night is still, no breeze to rustle the trees. Only the tree toads and crickets seem to be out there.  A can of beer is opened.  
A bush is violently pushed aside and Kong appears from the darkness. He has recognized the sound.

KURT 
 (V.O.) 
			If you want a frosty one 
			you'd better get up here.

EXT. KURT'S BACK PORCH

Kurt empties the beer into the bowl. Kong is there before it is all poured in, knocking Kurt out of his way. Kurt lands on his rear end, shaking his head. 

INT. KURT'S HOME/LIVINGROOM – NIGHT

Kurtsit in an over stuffed chair across from a fireplace. 
He stares into the flames, a half empty shot glass in his hand. 

A bottle of Jim Beam sits on a small table next to him.

On the wall over the fireplace are pictures of Kurt's life.
A wedding photo of Kurt and a lovely woman. Tapped to the frame is a divorce decree.

Second picture is a newspaper cutting, a young man in his twenties, LOCAL WOODSMAN KILLED IN FREAK ACCIDENT.

Third photo is from the 1930's or 40's of a man who could  be Kurt.  A newspaper paper clipping is tapped to the frame.   A small portion of the story is visible.
		
		FAMILIES COMPLAIN THEY HAVE NOT HEARD FROM               		HUSBANDS AND SONS IN WEEKS. Government still 
		refuses to allow private citizens or local 			authorities to search Federal land in Northern 
		Maine...

Kurt drains the shot glass and crosses the room to the fireplace. He pulls down the newspaper story, looks it over.
KURT
			Sons of bitches.

He looks up at the divorce decree, and pulls it down too.

KURT
			The whole mess has cost me 
			too much. 

Kurt crumples up both pieces of paper and drops them into the fireplace.  He looks down at Kong, lying at his feet, then back at the picture of his grandfather.

KURT
			I'm gonna find out what 
			happened.

 EXT. PARCEL 100589-B - DAWN

Mist drifts over trees tops coated with the moist sheen of dew.  The sky westward is alive with stars, the east dimly glows in the early morning dawn.  From the south a faint hum grows.  

In seconds the forest below is violently shaken under the blasting wind of a military helicopter hovering.

INT. MILITARTY HELICOPTER/COCKPIT 

The pilot and copilot concentrate on keeping their aircraft as close to the tree tops as possible.  

INT. MILITARY HELICOPTER/CARGO COMPARTMENT

CREW CHIEF 20'S assist four Delta Force Operatives prepare to disembark.  The soldiers are dressed in camouflage uniforms and face paint. They carry large packs and a deadly array of weapons. They sit unmoving, without emotion.  These are killers.   

CREW CHIEF
	Are you and your men ready, 
	Sir? I’m about to crack the 
	hatch.

The team leader looks at his men.  They are as ready as they will ever be.  He gives the Crew Chief the thumbs up.

TEAM LEAD
	We’re good.

The Crew Chief opens the cargo hatch.  

The team steps forward and begins tying off repelling ropes.  Within seconds the four soldiers are out the hatch.

EXT. PARCELL 100589-B - DAWN

The helicopter rocks slightly as the soldiers drop out on four ropes and quickly descend into the gray dawn light of the forest and vanish from sight. 

INT. MILITARY HELICOPTER/CARGO COMPARTMENT	

Crew Chief makes out a red flash from below.  He hauls up the ropes.

CREW CHIEF
			We are secure back here, Sir.

PILOT
(v.o.)
			Roger that.

The Crew Chief closes the cargo hatch and the helicopter suddenly cuts around in 180-degrees, heads south.

EXT. PARCEL 100589-B - DAWN

Aircraft becomes smaller with distance, screams raise from the forest floor.  Chilling, hysterical pleas to God are soon overcome by one soldier’s final whimpering, childlike cry in the night for his mother. 

All is quiet but for the strange sound of bones crushed.  

EXT. WASHINGTON DC - DAY

The nation’s capital comes to life for another day.  Millions are going about their business in the center of the most powerful country the earth has ever known.  

EXT.  BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT - DAY

Federal employees enter the building.  

INT. MAIN LOBBY - DAY

JO ANN CULLEN 38, shapely and attractive, a New York City Girl, enters and walks to the elevator. She is smartly dressed carrying a full leather shoulder bag on her left and tries to manage a newspaper and coffee in a to-go cup in the right.  She greets coworkers as she makes her way to elevator.

INT. JO ANN’S CUBICAL - DAY

Stacks of paper work and reports cover Jo Ann’s desk and the floor around her chair.  She suddenly becomes curious about what she finds in one report.

JO ANN
			When did they get approved?

Jo Ann picks up the phone and dials.   

INT. RECORDS OFFICE – DAY

The room is large and filled with hundreds of filing cabinets. NICK CHAPLIN 27 is oblivious to all but the video game he plays. The phone next to him rings several times before he realizes the ring is for him.

Nick sighs and reaches for the receiver, he does not mask  the boredom as he answers. 

NICK
			Records and files, this is Nick.

JO ANN
	Hi, Nick.  It's Jo Ann.

Nick sits up, the boredom instantly vanishing.

NICK
		     Jo Ann?!  Wow, haven't heard 
			from you in a while.

JO ANN
		     How have you been, Nick?

NICK
     It’s getting pretty lonely down 
     here. Nobody reads paper files 
               anymore. I don't even know why 
		 	they keep some of this ancient 
			crap. What can I do for you?

JO ANN
	I need all the documentation you 
	have on parcel 100598-B, State of 
	Maine. 

NICK
     God, our jobs suck. 

INT. JOANN’S CUBICAL

Jo Ann looks over all the paper work in her cubical.

JO ANN
	You have no idea. Can you find 
	out how far back that red flag 
	goes and why it was attached?

NICK
	I’ll see what I can find.

INT. RECORDS AND FILES OFFICE  - DAY/LATER

Nick begins his search with a bored countenance at a computer terminal sifting through file after file with no helpful results. 

Nick's attitude becomes one of curiosity as his search takes him to a vast storage area of hundreds of filing cabinets and rows of bookshelves filled with old record books where he finally gives up in frustration.

EXT. OFFICE BUILDING BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT - NIGHT

The building is dark, nearly every one has gone home.

INT. JO ANN’S CUBICAL - NIGHT 

Jo Ann has worked late. She looks tired and not as neat and crisp as she did at 8:00 that morning. She is on the phone with Nick. 

JO ANN
	-Nothing.  As if it doesn’t exist? 

NICK
			I looked everywhere.

JO ANN
			Thanks, Nick.  I owe you one. 

INT. MADISON’S OFFICE - DAY 

The office is spacious and filled with stacks of paper work.  A small conference table to one side is also covered with paper work, maps, and reports.  The walls have charts and more maps taped and thumb tacked everywhere.  

PEPPLED GLASS DOOR stands open.  Painted black lettering reads - JOHN MADISON DIRECTOR  BUREAU of LAND MANAGMENT. 

MADISON 53, graying at the temples, works at his desk in a suit and tie. 

Jo Ann appears at the door way and knocks. 

Madison fails to hear the a short series of knocks.  

Jo Ann's knocks become louder. 

Madison finally looks up, irritated by the interruption.

MADISON
	Yes, come in…  Come in!

Jo Ann enters, confident, not the least bit intimidated by Madison.  She carries a file folder.  Madison’s stern mask melts at the sight of Jo Ann.  

JO ANN
	John, I’m sorry to bother you, 
	but I have some concerns about 
	a petition approval I found.

MADISON
			No bother at all.  What do you 
			have?

JO ANN
	Parcel 100589-B, in northern 
	Maine.  The Department of 
     Interior's had it red flagged 
	for over fifteen years.  Now, it’s 
	suddenly been opened for lumber 
	harvesting.

MADISON
	Jo Ann, we've opened a lot of land
	in the past couple years.  Clear 
	cutting hasn't gone on in years and 
	over growth is a big problem. 

Jo Ann shakes her head and approaches the desk, offering Madison the now open file folder.

JO ANN
	No, sir.  This land was sealed 
	off. No one was supposed to ever 
	get on that land again. For any 
	reason.  

Madison thumbs through the file. 

MADISON
	How do you know the land was 
	sealed?

JO ANN
			Well, we weren't told. But there's
			land every where... that... we're 
			not allowed to lease.  We're not 
			told why.

MADISON
	And no way to find out. - Hell 
	that land could be a toxic waste
 	dump or an Indian burial ground.

JO ANN
			That’s why I came to you. I think
			this parcel was over looked.

MADISON
	I’d like to find out why it 
	was red flagged.  

JO ANN
	Northeast is sending a crew 
			up there. I'd like to go with  
			them.
					
					MADISON
			A native New York City Girl 
			camping with a bunch of loggers in 
			Northern Maine. 

Madison smiles, he is impressed with the woman.  He silently nods his agreement. 

EXT. OCEAN – DAY

USS NASSAU LHA 4, a large helicopter assault aircraft
carrier cuts slowly through the water. A military helicopter flies toward it from the east.  

EXT. FLIGHT DECK, USS NASSAU – DAY

The military helicopter swoops in and lands on the deck of the carrier.

INT. BRIDGE, USS NASSAU – DAY

COLONEL HERNANDEZ, 37, the large, deep voiced marine is dressed in camouflage. He looks out over the flight deck.  

EXT. FLIGHT DECK, USS NASSAU

Four Delta Force operatives exit the helicopter.

INT/EXT. BRIDGE/FLIGHT DECK – DAY

Col Hernandez watches the new arrivals exit the flight deck.
Without turning, he speaks to the marine standing behind him. GUNNY 33, battle hardened from a decade and a half in the corps that has aged him by another 15 years.

COL HERNANDEZ
			Gunny, escort Captain Caldwell 
			and his men to my quarters.  
			Have Major McCoy join us.

GUNNY
			Yes, Sir.

Gunny departs.

INT. USS NASSAU/HANGER BAY – DAY

Gunny leads CAPTAIN CALDWELL 28, SGT JACKSON 25, SGT TETER 23, and SGT MILLS 24, lethal Delta Force soldiers, across the hanger bay. They pass dozens of US Marines in various stages of opening wooden crates and familiarizing themselves with old style flamethrower weapons.  

Mills and Teter exchange concerned looks.

MILLS
(mouthing the words)
			Flamethrowers.
(Talking normally to Teter)
			My step-father was a Jarhead. 
			I'm tellin' ya, they're fuckin' 
			nuts.

TETER
			Jesus, are these guys backing 
			us up?

MILLS 
			At least Rangers have some fire 
			discipline. These guys shoot or 
			call fire on everything that 
			walks, crawls, or moves too slow.

JACKSON
			Lock it up, Mills. You remember 
			that night in Falujha?

INT. COL HERNANDEZ'S QUARTERS – DAY

The quarters are spacious only to the standards of a soldier. Caldwell and his men sit patiently waiting with marine MAJOR MCCOY 30's, chiseled features.

The hatch burst open and Col Hernandez seems to explode into the room. He carries a sealed folder in his left hand.

HERNANDEZ 
			How we doing, Fat Cocks!

MCCOY
			Attention on deck!

The five men jump to their feet at attention.

HERNANDEZ 
Sit, sit.  Sit down goddamn it. 
The five men return to their seats. 

Hernandez looks over Caldwell and his men with great pleasure.  

HERNANDEZ 
			Delta Force! Son of a bitch! 
			My Rosco's getting enlarged 
			just being in the same God 
			Damned room with you bastards!

Hernandez looks down at McCoy.  Caldwell and his men are uneffected by the Colonel's display of effection.

HERNANDEZ 
			Major, if we had a platoon of 
			these Fat Cocks attached to our 
			battalion how big do you think 
			my hard on would be every morning? 

McCoy, looks almost embarrassed but, dutifully answers his commanding officer.

MCCOY
			Very big, sir. 

HERNANDEZ
			You're God damned right, 
			Major McCoy.

Hernandez holds his hand to the level of his chin and looks at Caldwell.

HERNANDEZ
			It'd be this high, Captain.
			This doggone high, son.  
			This high.

Hernandez hands the folder to Caldwell. 

HERNANDEZ
			Captain, third Battalion, eighth 
			Marines is at your service. You 
			need us, you call. Everything 
			you need to know is in that 
			folder. 

EXT. THE TANK/BANGOR, MAINE - NIGHT
Rain falls heavily as a street light shines down on the
obscure entrance of a rowdy hole in the wall tavern. Loud  rock and roll music blasts from inside.  Patrons, a mixture of construction workers, truck drivers, and bikers enter and leave at a steady rate.  

Jo Ann stops on the sidewalk and double checks the name on a small neon sign.  Satisfied, she timidly enters. 

INT. THE TANK - NIGHT

The Tank is packed.  Pool tables are busy and couples fill the dance floor twitching to the rock beat. Hardly a table or chair is empty and everyone has to yell to be heard.  Jo Ann pushes her way to the bar.  

A crowd surrounds a giant logger named TUCKER, life has aged him beyond his 30 plus years but there is no one in the bar tonight to challenge him. The crowd chants his name as he chugs a pitcher of beer in only seconds.  

CROWD
			Tuck, Tuck, Tuck, Tuck...

Tucker slams the empty pitcher on a table and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. MURPHY, a young logger standing next to Tucker shakes his head in defeat.

TUCKER
			You owe me 20 bucks, Murphy. 

Jo Ann has to squeeze her way between two large bikers to reach the bar.

BARTENDER
			What do you want, sweetheart?

JO ANN
			Appleton’s and diet coke, 
			no lime.

The bartender gives Jo Ann an odd look.  

Jo Ann turns to take in her surroundings and notices MOTOR JONES, one of the bikers, sliding one arm around her waist.  She has to look up to see his face.  His leering grin is missing a few teeth.  

Jo Ann tries to step back but the other biker has her trapped.  The bartender brings her drink.
Jones slaps a five-dollar bill on the bar.

MOTOR
			I got it, Barkeep.

JOANN
	No, no. That’s all right.  I 
	can’t let you do that.

Before Jo Ann can get her own money out the bartender scoops up the five and disappears.

Motor slides his hand up from Jo Ann's thigh to breast level.

MOTOR 
	I didn’t ask if I could.

JOANN
			Thanks, but I know goddamn well 
			I didn't ask to have your grubby 
			hands all over me.

Motorcocks his head in surprise.

					MOTOR
			Listen to the mouth on this one.
	
	BIKER 		
			Gees, to look at her I thought 
			she was a lady.
					(to Jo Ann)
			Hey, ain't you no lady, baby?

Motorslides his other arm around Jo Ann.

MOTOR
			What’s a sweet thing like you coming 
			in here for?  Unless you're slumming.

INT. BACK CORNER OF THE TANK 

Kurt sits with Billy and two other loggers, BOBBY HARRISON,  good looking and clean cut, and MIKE DEAN, large and powerfully built.  Both are in their mid twenties.

BILLY
			No, no, no. I'm telling you 
			this frigging idiot gets out 
			and starts prancing across the 
			clearing when this root kind 
			of appears out of nowhere and 
			knocks him on his ass.

Harrison is paying less attention to Billy's story than he is to Motor Jones and Jo Ann.

HARRISON
			Now that would be a shame.

DEAN
			What’s that?

Kurt has also noticed Jo Ann.

KURT
	If that fine looking woman went 
	home with that big ugly grease 
	bag.

Billy finally turns to watch. The four look on with interest and dumbfounded amusement as they watch but can not hear the engaging conversation Jo Ann gets into with Motor.  

Tucker addresses those who had cheered him.

TUCKER
			...so there I am, up to the 
			bottom of my sack in crap, 
			when all of a sudden, little 
			Miss Everything I could have 
			ever wanted says, I thought you 
			was taking me out to dinner---

Tucker notices Jo Ann may be in some trouble.

JO ANN
			The petri dish they grew you 
			in must be so proud.

MOTOR
			Who the fuck do you think you 
			are, bitch? 
Motorhauls back with a hand, preparing to lay one up side Jo Ann's head.

A large powerful hand catches Motor's arm in mid flight.
Tucker towers over the large biker.

TUCKER
			Whoa there, dick weed! You ain't 
			about to go hitting this lady 
			with me standing here, are you?

Jones tries to pull his arm away, but it is impossible.
Tucker looks at Motor's much smaller arm.

TUCKER
			Damn, you don't get very strong 
			just twisting the throttle on 
			them tricycles...
(looks over at Jo Ann)
			... now do ya?

Motorcontinues struggling to get his arm free, trying not to let anyone know how great the struggle is.

TUCKER
			You should try swinging an ax 
			ten hours a day.

Tucker notices the nod Motor gives the biker behind him. Without letting go of Motor, Tucker slams his elbow into the biker's nose, smashing it instantly.  Tucker strikes Motor in the face with his own hand. 

Both bikers fall to the floor, holding their faces. 

Around the bar dozens of loggers get to their feet, quickly showing the lesser number of bikers they are badly out numbered.  

The situation diffuses without further problem as Motor and his partner are helped out.

INT. BACK CORNER OF THE TANK - NIGHT

Those at Kurt's table sit back down.

HARRISON
			Oh, that would be a shame too.
DEAN
			What’s that?

KURT
			If she went home with the big 
			ape instead of the big ugly 
			grease bag.

BILLY
			That deep woods stump humper. 
			He'd scare her off the first 
			time he tried to check her for 
			bees.

The four men look on with interest and dumbfounded amusement as they watch but can not hear the engaging conversation Jo Ann gets into with Tucker.  

They look at each other after Tucker gets the bartender’s attention so Jo Ann can speak to him.  They show further confusion as the bartender points to their table.  Tucker squints to see them better.

TUCKER
			I'll be damned, I didn't even 
			know he was here yet. Come on. 
  
Jo Ann follows Tucker to Kurt's table. Everyone moves out of Tucker's way and then checks out Jo Ann.

TUCKER
			Hey Kurt, this little girl's 
			come all the way from Washington 
			to talk to you.

KURT
(disappointed)
			I knew it was too good to be 
			true.

Kurt motions Jo Ann to sit down. She sets her drink on the table and accepts the offered chair. 

JO ANN
			Mr. Wilder--

KURT
			--Kurt. Call me, Kurt.
JO ANN
			Kurt. I'm Jo Ann Cullen, Bureau 
			of Land Management. I need to 
			ask you a favor--

KURT
	--You’re here to tell me I can 
	cancel my trip north, correct?
	Listen, lady, we got a signed 
	contract.  Congress couldn't 
	break it.

JO ANN
			No, I want you to take me with 
			you.

Kurt’s face is filled with surprise.

TUCKER
(to Billy)
			Now that's a gal who gets right 					to the point.

KURT
	What for? Do you know anything 
	about that place?

JO ANN
	No and neither does anyone from 
	my office.

KURT
(shaking his head in confusion)
	Miss Cullen--

JO ANN
			Jo Ann.  Please call me Jo Ann.

KURT
	Sure, whatever. No, wait a minute. 
	What the hell do you want to go 
	there for?

JO ANN
	For years I’ve watched petitions 
	from Northeast get denied as 
	regular as clock work.  

KURT
  	This petition finally gets 
	approved and you’re up here to 
	investigate.

JO ANN
	That land was sealed off.  No
	one was ever meant to see it 
	again.

A cold deadliness creeps over Kurt's face as he hears this. 

KURT
	Why do you want to go up there?

JO ANN
	I have a very dull, boring job, 
	Mr. Wilder. There could be any
	thing up there. For decades the 
	government hasn't wanted any one 
	to see it. If somebody gave
	you a free...

Jo Ann spreads her arms apart and rests her elbows on the 
table. She stands, bending at the waist with her eyes locked 
on Kurt's.  A full view down the front of Jo Ann's shirt is available to him if he just breaks eye contact.

JO ANN
			...look, wouldn't you take it?

Jo Ann turns her head. 

Kurt's eyes don't even flicker as 

Harrison and Billy slowly lean in for a look. 

KURT
	Oh, I’ll take you up there Miss 
	Cullen. I mean Jo Ann.  

EXT. GARAGE - PREDAWN     

Monday morning 4:45 am.  The sky is dark with heavy rain. 

Garage is a large, single story warehouse.  One small light over the front door. 
 
INT. KURT’S PICKUP TRUCK - PREDAWN

Kurt sits quietly, smoking, with Kong's head resting on his thigh.  Kurt takes one final drag off his cigarette and carefully snuffs it out in the ashtray, insuring all the ambers are out. He looks down at Kong, pats his head. 

KURT
			O.K. sir, let’s go see if 
			we can scare away some of my 
			demons.

EXT. GARAGE - DAY

Rain falls heavily.  Hank stands in front of the garage directs Dean as he backs a rain drenched yellow and green Northeast Lumber Company semi.  The flatbed trailer hooked to the semi has an ancient, dripping wet, grapple skidder chained down to it.  

A second semi hauls a medium sized bulldozer, followed close by two utility trucks filled with supplies and men. 

A third semi and flatbed carry a fairly new Feller Stacker. 

Finally, Kurt’s old pick up appears from the back of the garage and pulls up near Hank.
 
Hank steps up to the passenger door, Jo Ann rolls down the window. Kong pokes his head out.

HANK
	You be careful up there, kid.

KURT
	I will, old man.

Hank strokes Kong's head and speaks to Jo Ann.
 
HANK
			And you, little girl. Get in 
			any trouble, you just stick 
			close to this here mutt until 
			Billy gets there.  Nothing born 
			on earth can stand up to Kong.

JO ANN
	Don’t worry about me.
Kurt drives off leaving Hank in the rain to watch.

INT. PICK UP - MORNING

Jo Ann studies Kurt for a moment.  Kong settles, rests his head on Kurt's thigh.

JO ANN
	You seem to be taking this in 
	stride.

KURT
	What do you mean?

JO ANN
	We don't know what we may find up 
	there. You don't seem very excited.

KURT
(shrugs)
				I've got a sneaking suspicion what 
				we'll find. 

JO ANN
	Really?

KURT
			What do you know about that 
			land?

JO ANN
			I don't know, maybe no more than 
			you. But, it's a fact something is 
			being hidden up there.  

KURT
			And some kind of loophole's given 
			us a free pass to snoop around.

JO ANN
			That sounds about right.

KURT
			Did you search your house for 
			Christmaspresents when you 
			were a kid? 

JO ANN
			No. I unwrapped them after they 
			were under the tree to see what 
			they were.

KURT
			Ruined it for you didn't it? 

JO ANN 
			Not in the least.

Kurt looks at Jo Ann, smiles and taps the end of his nose with an index finger.

EXT. MAINE STATE SECONDARY ROAD - DAY

The small convoy follows the twisting and ever narrowing road north. Sand and dust fly in the air as the trucks unknowingly pass by a small, hand painted roadside advertisement. 

There is a depiction of a grotesque plant eating a large rat. The sign reads “THE AMAZING VENUS RAT TRAP”.

EXT. USS NASSAU – FLIGHT DECK – DAY

A US Navy helicopter lifts off the deck and heads east.

INT. US NAVY HELICOPTER – DAY

Capt Caldwell and his team ride in the helicopter. 
Sgt Jackson sits next to him. Caldwell holds the folder 
from Col Hernandez. 

A knife suddenly appears in Caldwell's hand and he uses it to cut the seal.  His face contorts in confusion as he reviews the file. 

Jackson can not help noticing.

JACKSON
			What is it?

CALDWELL
			This is ridiculous! This is 
			some kind of joke.

Jackson snatches the folder and looks for himself. 
JACKSON
			Project Timber?  Why would 
			they do something like this? 

EXT. THE GATE - DAY

At a bend in the narrow road 6 decades of growth hide what’s left of the rusted chain link gate to parcel 100589-B.  

The forest is quiet except for the sound of approaching trucks. 

Kurt’s pickup rolls to a perfect stop outside the gate.

INT. PICKUP - DAY

Kurt’s eyes study the hidden gate carefully. He has been here before. 

Jo Ann is confused, she follows Kurt’s gaze but sees nothing but forest.

JO ANN
	Why did you stop?  Where 
	are we?

KURT
	We’re here.

Kurt pushes his door open and gets out.

EXT. SKY OVER FOREST – DAY

Cloudless sky is marred only by the appearance of a gray Navy helicopter.

INT. US NAVY HELICOPTER

PILOT looks down at Kurt and his people outside the gate. 

PILOT
			Captain, there are people down 
			there. 

Caldwell motions to the Crew Chief who pops open the cargo hatch. Caldwell leans out the hatch and looks down at the Northeast Lumber Company trucks.  The loggers are clearing brush away from the gate. 

Caldwell looks back at his team.  

CALDWELL
			I don't know who the hell they 
			are, but we're going down right 
			there.  

EXT. ROAD SIDE / THE GATE

Kurt looks up at the helicopter.  Tucker steps up next to him. 

TUCKER
			What the hell's the Navy doing 
			way out here?

Caldwell and his men skillfully exit the helicopter and  descend on ropes.  The other loggers stop working and watch. 

Kurt looks worried. 

KURT
			Those guys aren't Navy.

TUCKER
			Who are they? 

JO ANN
			Delta Force. 

Caldwell and his team land on the road and quickly take up defensive positions.  Caldwell looks at Kurt and heads for him.  

Teter looks up at the helicopter and speaks into a microphone.  

The helicopter turns and leaves.  

CALDWELL
			Who's in charge here? 

Wilder steps forward. 

KURT
			That would be me.  Who are you?

CALDWELL
			Captain Caldwell, US Army, Special 				Operations. I'm taking over this 
			location.  

Jo Ann steps next to Kurt.

JO ANN
			On who's authority? 

CALDWELL
			Who are you, ma'am?

Jo Ann pulls an ID from her pocket, hands it to Caldwell.

JO ANN
			I represent the Department of 
			Interior on this federal land. 
			That makes me God to you. 

Caldwell takes the ID and looks it over.  Jackson leans over Caldwell's shoulder and looks.  The two soldiers exchanger glances. 

CALDWELL
			Very well, your Worship. Can we 
			talk privately?
    
EXT. ROAD SIDE – KURT'S PICK UP

Caldwell steps up next to Kurt who’s looking at the gate.

KURT
	The rest of you keep clearing 
	the crap away from this entrance.

Kurt turns and looks at Caldwell as he pulls a map from a black canvas case and spreads it out on the hood of Kurt’s pickup. Kurt and Jo Ann study the map.  Caldwell points to an x mark on the map.

CALDWELL
			A team was inserted in this area 
			two days ago.  Contact was lost 
			immediately.
KURT
(nodding)
			Well, it must be our lucky day. 
			That’s right near the old 
			logging camp we were headed for.  

JO ANN
			What was your team doing up 
			here?

The other soldiers look over at Caldwell.  Caldwell shakes his head and looks at the map.

CALDWELL
			I'm not entirely sure.

TUCKER
			And you wouldn't tell us if 
			you were.   

CALDWELL
			Sorry.  My job is to find them 
			and neutralize any local threats.  

JO ANN
			Sounds like we might all be 
			looking for the same thing. 

CALDWELL
			I was just about to ask what 
			you were doing up here.

Kurt, looks back at Caldwell then points to the map.  He has to raise his voice as chain saws shatter the peace and tranquility of the roadside.  

KURT
			To prep an old logging 
			camp, here.

Kurt taps the map with his finger. Caldwell watches, his brow wrinkles. 

KURT
			A hundred loggers will be running 
			all over these woods next week. 

Jackson steps forward, closer to Caldwell.
JACKSON
			Captain-- 

Caldwell holds up a hand, silences Jackson.

CALDWELL
			Lock it up, Sergeant.

Kurt's eyes shift to Tucker's eyes.   Jo Ann watches the exchange.

JO ANN
			Captain, is there something 
			that could hurt--

KURT
			--Is there anything we can do to 
			help you, Captain?

Caldwell eyes Kurt carefully. Looks around, then digs into his rucksack. 

CALDWELL
			I haven't checked, but cells phones 
			might be useless up here.

Caldwell pulls out a hand held two way radio, tosses it to Kurt.

CALDWELL
			Use this if you need to get me.  

JO ANN
			Technically, the second you set 
			foot on that land you're under 
			my authority. 
 
Caldwell turns and looks at Jo Ann, studies her. 

EXT. GATE

Dean, now wearing a hard hat and safety glasses, stands with a chain saw in one hand and yanks expertly on the pull cord. The saw coughs once, Dean adjusts a toggle and yanks the cord again.

At the side of the flat bed a thick chain is tossed to the dusty roadside and the skidder is fired to life.  Steel ramps are thrown into place at the rear of the flat bed and Harrison backs the large monster off.

EXT. KURT'S PICK UP 

Kurt takes Caldwell’s arm, holds a finger up to Jo Ann,  and leads the soldier away from the others.

KURT
(yelling to be heard)
	Come over here.

EXT. ROAD SIDE - DAY

Kurt and Caldwell stop a distance from the gate. The sounds of chain saws and heavy equipment can still be heard but at this locations the two men can speak without shouting. 

KURT
			I don’t know what it is, Caldwell, 
			but there’s something about you I 
			like and I don’t have a problem 
			with you being in charge.

 CALDWELL
	You don’t want us going into those 
	woods alone, do you?

KURT
	You’re a sharp kid.

CALDWELL
	It’s part of my job description.  
	Look, why don’t you tell me 
	something about these woods that 
	wasn’t in my OP ORDER.

Kurt lights a cigarette runs a hand through his hair, his face showing deep thought.

KURT
				A lot of men have disappeared 
				up here.

CALDWELL
				I know.

KURT
				About 60 years ago, my grandfather 
				was one of them. My grandmother, 
				my father, they never really knew 
				what happened.  Just that, it had 
				something to do with logging.  

Frustration forms a painful grin on Kurt’s face as he turns to look into the forest.  Beyond the roadside brush a low slop leads into the tangled mess of uncultivated natural growth, an isolated historical exhibit of a world thousands of years gone by.

KURT
				In 1957 a plane went down somewhere 
				out there. Six men disappeared 
				before the search was called off.  

CALDWELL
	OK. That’s something that wasn’t 
	in my report. It’s also something 
	you can’t easily cover up.

Kurt turns back around and carefully puts out his cigarette, taking great care to insure it is completely out.

KURT
	It isn’t that hard if local 
	officials don’t want to go in 
	those woods.

Caldwell looks unconvinced.

KURT
				Most people around here think 
				these woods are haunted.  

CALDWELL
			What do you suggest?

JACKSON
(out of shot)
	Captain, there’s activity in 
	there!

Kurt and Caldwell turn to see Jackson still several yards away as he runs up to them. 

CALDWELL
	What kind of activity?

JACKSON
	Satellite photos a couple minutes 
	old show smoke.

EXT. ROADSIDE - DAY
Tetersits with a laptop computer perched on his knees, he taps away madly at the keys. 

Mills, speaks on a radio to an unidentified military personnel about the discovery of the smoke. He looks up at Caldwell, Jackson, and Kurt trotting towards him.  

The loggers are seen fully involved with clearing brush from the gate.

MILLS
	Yes sir, he's on his way, I'll 
	put him right on.  Please hold.

Mills lowers the phone from his ear and cups it with his hand as he looks at Teter. 

CALDWELL
(shouting over the noise)
	What’s going on?

Teter turns the laptop so Caldwell can see it.

TETER
(shouting)
	There’s a small fire about five 
	miles from here.  It looks too 
	big for a campfire.

MILLS
(shouting)
	Captain, I got Colonel Higgins on 
	the line.  The ships are headed 
	south toward Bermud...

Caldwell scowls and shakes his head.  He kneels down with Teter.  Without taking his eyes off the laptop’s display Caldwell snaps his fingers at Mills who hands the phone over to his commander.  Less interested in the call than the laptop Caldwell puts the phone to his ear.
CALDWELL
				Caldwell here...
	Two days?
	Sir, what if we need you before then?
	Yes, sir.

Caldwell ends the call, hands the phone back to Mills, and returns his full attention to the laptop. 

TETER
			That's a live, high altitude,
			shot.

EXT. LAPTOP SCREEN

Grainy, real time image of smoke raising out of parcel 100589-B. 

Teter notices something new.

TETER
			Another storm front is moving 
			in quickly.  

CALDWELL
			Oh, god damn it.

KURT
	Bad news, Captain?

CALDWELL
	Only in the remote possibility 
	we suddenly find ourselves in a 
	shit sandwich.

TETER
	Do those look like structures 
	there?

Teter points to a location a few kilometers to the east of the smoke.

KURT
			That's quit a picture. You 
			connected to a satellite?

Caldwell’s eyes snap up from the laptop and then carefully over at Kurt who is carefully studying the laptop screen.
CALDWELL
			Mr. Wilder, I don’t have to 
			remind you everything we're 
			doing here is classified... 
			right?

Kurt’s gaze shifts from the computer to Caldwell.  Kurt makes a show of leaning still closer.

KURT
			I don’t give a damn about your 
			toys, you, or your missing men.  
			I just want to find out what's 
			going on in there. I won't tell 
			a frigging soul.

CALDWELL
	Yeah, I had to ask.

Kurt leans in front of Caldwell to get a closer look at the laptop.

KURT
	That’s the old logging camp 
	my grandfather was at.

Kurt looks at Caldwell.

KURT
			Hey, that's probably where we'll 
			all die. 

TETER
	That’s less than three clicks 
	from the smoke.  Looks like it 
	has an LZ. 

Mills busy working on a laptop of his own speaks without looking up.

MILLS
			What happened to your grandfather?

KURT
				No one in my family was ever told.  

CALDWELL
			Can your crew get to that camp 
			by dark?

Kurt nods and stands up, looks at the sky, already the sky is darkening.  Rain will be falling very soon.

KURT
			That fire will be out by the 
			time you get to it.

Kurt starts to walk away, pauses and looks back. 

KURT
			I’ll see you at the camp by 
			dark.

EXT. GATE LOCK - DAY

The two halves of the gate are secured with a short length of chain and an ancient, rusted paddle lock.  Loggers and soldiers stand around and look at it. 

Dean looks at Teter. 

DEAN
			Who do you figure has the 
			key to that? 

TETER
			Some asshole in Washington.   

A sledgehammer swings down from above and comes to rest gently on the lock.  A second sledge slams down on top and smashes the lock in two.  

EXT. GATE - DAY

Kurt pushes the gate open and steps into Parcel 100589-B. He pauses as he enters and looks up at the trees all around him.

Kurt's grandmother’s voice echoes to him from the past.

GRANDMOTHER  
(V.O.)
			Don’t trust the TIMBER, it’ll 
				take you if it can.

Caldwell and his team, laden with heavy packs and gear hurry past Kurt and disappear into the dense underbrush.  

Kurt turns and addresses his men.

KURT
	All right, boys, we got a lot 
	of ground to cover before 
	nightfall.  Let’s get cracking.

Kurt operates the bulldozer, plows through the under growth. Every few hundred feet he pulls the bulldozer to the side and Temple comes up with the skidder. The odd looking machine clamps onto the base of a tree and cuts it from the ground with giant hydraulic snipers.  

Loggers attack the fallen trees, bucking the branches and slicing the trunks into lengths short enough to haul out. They work in teams to roll the logs off to the side of the road. 

Rain begins to fall and the heavy equipment quickly turns the old road into a mud path. 

Jo Ann takes cover under the bulldozer’s canopy with Kurt, snaps pictures when she can.  

EXT. THE BRIDGE - MID MORNING DAY

Kurt walks out to the middle of the rusted metal structure 
spanning a deep gorge two hundred feet across.  A hundred feet below white water rapids roar up at them.  He stops at a steel I beam, studies it for a few seconds, and then gives it a few hammer blows with his fist.

Harrison steps up behind Kurt.

HARRISON
			Not knocking this baby down, 
			built by the Army Corps of 
			Engineers to support a 35 
			ton tank.

Kurt nods.

EXT. RIVER BANK - DAY

Kong, Hank's cane clamped in his teeth, follows Jo Ann down a path to the bottom of the gorge.  White water rapids drown out the sound of Kurt as he moves the dozer across the bridge far above. 

Jo Ann pauses at the rivers edge, takes a picture of Kurt.  

Jo Ann makes her way along the river back until the land levels off and the waters calm. 

EXT. OTHER SIDE OF RIVER / TREE LINE

An arm, clothed in shiny black material, moves a branch revealing Jo Ann and Kong on the bank across the water. 

Kong looks up.
 
EXT. RIVER BANK

Kong begins to growl at the far side of the river, the hair is up on his back.

Jo Ann snaps a pictures of Kong.

JO ANN
	What is it, boy?

She looks out at the forest across the river, senses something menacing, quickly turns and hurries back to the others.  

Kong does not follow. He runs into the water and heads for the other side.

EXT. ACCESS ROAD - MID DAY

The utility truck stops in the middle of the recently cleared road.  

Clouds over head are breaking and Kurt exits the vehicle.  He looks up at the sky and then back down the road.  
A great screech from over strained metal vibrates through the forest, quickly followed by the deafening thunder of the collapse of a large heavy structure.  

Kurt looks back at his crew, then turns and runs down the road, splashing through the mud and the puddles. Everyone stops and looks down the road. 

EXT. PARCEL 100589-B / FIRE SIGHT - DAY
The forest is silent but for the drum beat of rainwater running from trees and vegetation. 

Smoke and steam rise in an eerie mist over a blackened, scorched patch of land, a few thousand square feet.  

Hot spots smolder and fade quickly.  

The forest floor holds the mangled body of a U.S. soldier.  There is no blood any where. 

A pair of legs, clad in shiny black cloth, walk past the dead soldier. 

Other pairs of legs, similarly dressed, move about in the mist. 

In the distance there is a thrashing of the under brush. Voices can be made out.

TETER
(V.O.)
	I’m seeing smoke up ahead.

CALDWELL 
(V.O.)
			Slow it down, you two.  Jackson, 
			cover the rear.

Caldwell moves carefully, approaches the body.  He stares in shock from ten feet as the body suddenly jerks to the side and disappears into the mist.  

Caldwell hurries forward but freezes at the CRUNCH and SNAP of bones.

Several feet away the under brush shakes violently in the poor visibility of the smoke and quickly moves away. 

Caldwell enters the burned area.  The brush stops moving and the dead soldier is no where to be found.  

Teter and Mills move in cautiously, weapons at ready, eyes missing nothing left to see. 

Mills bends to look closer at something on the ground.  With the barrel of his weapon he pokes the burnt remains of a military White Phosphorous grenade.
MILLS
			Captain, look at this. I think 
			I found what started the fire. 

Caldwell and Teter hurry over to Mills.  The three of them slip out off their rucksacks and kneel down.  

Jackson works his way around the perimeter of the blackened area.  Something in the brush has caught his attention and he moves in on it. Pressing a switch on his helmet he speaks softly into his microphone. 

JACKSON
	Teter, move toward me, carefully, 
	from the east. I got something.

Caldwell looks back over his right shoulder at Jackson, a hundred feet away. The tension shows on his face.  He reaches up and presses his own switch.

CALDWELL
	You good, Bub?

JACKSON
	Yes, Cap. But I'm looking at 
	something I don’t believe...
	...Oh, shit.

Caldwell looks at Teter and nods. 

Teter returns the nods and moves out.  The intensity of the moment is blasted away as Caldwell’s two way radio chirps  from a breast pocket of his body armor. 

Mills smiles and shakes his head.

Caldwell pulls out a two way. 

CALDWELL
	Great fucking timing, Wilder. 

With a beep he turns the two way on.

CALDWELL
	What is it Kurt?  I'm in a 
	situation. 

EXT. THE BRIDGE 
Kurt stands at the edge of the bridge embankment.  The old structure is now completely gone.  He talks to Caldwell with the same calm shown as if ordering a pizza.

KURT
	Are you at the sight of that 
	fire yet?

EXT. PARCEL 100589-B FIRE SIGHT

Caldwell's eyes scan the area around him. 

CALDWELL
	Roger that, we just arrived.

EXT. THE BRIDGE 

KURT
	Good, good.  Did you find anyone 
	you have to evac on the double?

EXT. PARCEL 100589-B FIRE SIGHT 

Caldwell, annoyance shows on his face. 

CALDWELL
	Negative.  What the hell do 
	you want. 

EXT. THE BRIDGE

KURT
	Good, good, because we lost 
	the bridge.

EXT. PARCEL 100589-B FIRE SIGHT 

CALDWELL
	Follow the goddamn road, you'll 
	cross it.  I'm a little busy. 

EXT. THE BRIDGE

Kurt is unmoved by Caldwell's foul mood.  

KURT
	No, we crossed it a half hour 
	ago.  Now it's gone.  
CALDWELL
			Christ! What happened?  Was 
			anybody hurt?

KURT
			No. We're gonna push like 
			hell to the camp.  

EXT. PARCEL 100589-B FIRE SIGHT 

CALDWELL
	Sounds good. Caldwell out.

Caldwell slides the phone back in its pocket and hears Jackson start to scream.  Caldwell and Mills quickly turn.  Shock and horror fill Caldwell’s face.

CALDWELL
	Oh, my God.

Jackson, obviously dead, in the standing position is pulled into the mist and enshrouded by it. The toes of Jackson's combat boots have dug shallow farrows in the moist forest floor. 

Caldwell and Mills make a tactical advance to the edge of the mist.  Mills pulls the bolt back on his weapon. 

Caldwell, his rucksack slung over a shoulder pulls a grenade from a side pocket.  

Mills looks down at the grenade. 

MILLS
			You'll kill Jackson with that.

Caldwell pulls the pin.

CALDWELL
			He's already dead. 

Caldwell's thumb shifts off the grenade spoon and it flings into the air.

CALDWELL
			Teter, fire in the hole. 

EXT. ACCESS ROAD/GORGE – DAY
In the distance a grenade goes off, followed by the sound of automatic rifle fire. 

Kurt looks up, in the direction of the sound.  Tucker steps up next to him. 

KURT
			Tuck, you seen Kong?   

Tucker looks around, worried. 

TUCKER
			No, I have not. 

Jo Ann approaches.

JO ANN
			What's going on?   

Kurt takes a deep breath. 

EXT. PARCEL 100589-B /FIRE SIGHT

Mills sprays bullets into the mist, emptying his weapon. He quickly reloads and follows Caldwell closer to the mist. 

A DARK FORM shadowy and indistinct, to the right of Caldwell, swings Hank's chewed up oak cane at the Soldier's head. 

Kong, bloodied and beaten, leaps from the underbrush and tears the cane loose in mid air. 

With inhuman speed, the Dark Form swings a spindly, shiny black clothed arm tip with a long, thin fingered hand encased in slimy, plaster white hand, up and flat slaps Kong on the side of his head. 

Kong yelps in pain as he slams into the forest floor at Caldwell's feet. 

Kong whimpers as he looks up at Caldwell, the cane clamped in his teeth.   

Caldwell looks up.

Dark Form, a clear view obscured by the mist, readies to strike the unmoving Kong.  
Caldwell jumps forward, shielding Kong.  He yanks the cane from Kong and blocks a second strike from the mist.  The third comes too fast for Caldwell.  Unable to deflect the strike, a slice is cut in Caldwell's unprotected shoulder. 

With a renewed burst of energy the Dark Form heaves the body of Jackson at Mills and a, newly arrived, Teter knocking the two men to the ground. 

Dark Form scurries away into the under brush.  

Caldwell crawls over to Jackson’s lifeless body checks 
for and fails to find a pulse.

Mills duck walks backward to Kong, his eyes never stop scanning the forest around him.  The dog is recovering and gets up. Teter has taken up a defensive position a few feet away.

Caldwell catches Mills eyes briefly then stares in the direction the Dark Form went.
 
CALDWELL
	Two years in Afghan, two in Iraq, 
	and he gets KIAed by a bug eyed 
	Whatever the Fuck in Maine!

MILLS
				It threw him like a rag doll.

TETER
			You know what that thing looked 
			like?  It looked like a--

CALDWELL
			--Don't fucking say it, Teter!  
			Don't you fucking dare! 

Kong makes his way cautiously over to Jackson’s body, sniffs and whimpers as he looks up at Caldwell.

CALDWELL
			Come here, boy.

Caldwell puts his hand out and Kong hurries over to the soldier, his tail wagging rapidly. 

Caldwell wraps his arms around the traumatized animal, patting affectionately and soothing him.

CALDWELL
			It’s O.K., boy. You a good boy.  
			Yeah.

Kong half lays on Caldwell as he covers his face with kisses.

Teter drops two rucksacks next to Caldwell and makes an inventory of grenades and ammo.

MILLS
	Where’s your pack, Captain?

CALDWELL
	Back over there. 

Caldwell jerks a thumb over his shoulder.

Mills scurries off. Caldwell tears at his left shoulder to look at his wound.  He is not happy with the nasty, bloody gash he finds.

CALDWELL
			Oh, this is great.  Teter, come
			here and have a look at this.

Teter grabs Caldwell’s first aid kit at the back of his cartridge belt, cleans the wound and applies a pressure dressing to it. The two men talk as he works.

TETER
	Any idea what that was, Captain.

CALDWELL
(shaking his head)
	I don’t know.

TETER
			Where are the trees?

Caldwell shakes his head. 

TETER
			The OP Order didn't say shit 
			about creepy little fucks like 
			that. 
Caldwell does not respond. He stares into the mist.  

Mills returns and drops a pack down with the others.
He pauses and looks around. He then looks over at Jackson’s body. 

Caldwell notices Mills looking. 

CALDWELL
	Yes, get his gear too.  We’re 
	gonna need it.

Mills nods and retrieves the gear.

Two way beeps, Caldwell yanks it from the pocket, then looks down at Kong, now panting heavily in Caldwell’s lap.

CALDWELL
	Daddy.  He must be wondering 
	where you are.

Caldwell answers the call

CALDWELL
			This is Caldwell.

EXT. ACCESS ROAD - DAY

Kurt stands next to the bulldozer looking into the deadly silent forest holding the two way to his mouth.  The others are sitting or standing close by eating lunch. 

KURT
	I heard rifle fire.  Are 
	you O.K.? 

EXT. PARCEL 100589-B FIRE SIGHT - DAY

CALDWELL
	No... Jackson’s dead.  You 
	all right?

EXT. ACCESS ROAD 

Kurt looks around, everything is peaceful, his crew is playing a little grab ass while they eat. Nothing out of the ordinary. 

KURT
	Everything is fine here. What 
	happened?

EXT. PARCEL 100589-B FIRE SIGHT 

CALDWELL
			Kurt, it wasn't trees that 
			killed my other team.  

EXT. ACCESS ROAD 

KURT
	Who said anything about trees?

EXT. PARCEL 100589-B FIRE SIGHT 

CALDWELL
			My orders did.  Anyway, it's 
			not trees.  I don't know what. 
			Kong is with me, he's all right. 
	
Caldwell looks down at the bleeding, beaten dog.  Kong pants up at the Soldier.

EXT. ACCESS ROAD – DAY

Relief spreads across Kurt's face. 

Grenade explodes in the distance.  Kurt looks up.  Static sounds over the two way.

KURT
	Caldwell! Caldwell, what’s 
	going on?

EXT. PARCEL 100589-B FIRE SIGHT

Teter ducks, tosses a grenade pin to the ground. 

TETER
			I think I got it.  

Kong snarls, darts into the mist, blackened by grenade smoke. 

Debris rains down.

Caldwell tries to reach for him, misses. 

CALDWELL
			Kong, no!  Stay! Sit! Heal.  

MILLS
			Whoa horsy? 

Caldwell shoots Mills a questioning look.  

Mills shrugs. 

Mills, surprised, notices Jackson's body dragged farther into the mist.  Mills reacts by diving at the body. 

Teter turns and watches helplessly.

Kong howls and yelps as he is thrown from the mist and lands back in front of Caldwell.

Teter moves in next to Caldwell. 

TETER
			Captain, this mutt's gonna get 
			killed by those things. 

Jackson's body is pulled faster into the mist.  Teter runs past Mills, who scrambles to get to his feet. 

Jackson's body fades into the mist and smoke. 

Mills follows Teter into the mist. 

EXT. ACCESS ROAD

Kurt stares at the two way.  He looks up to see every one looking to him.  Tucker and Jo Ann approach. 

TUCKER
			What's going on, Kurt?

Kurt steps away from the edge.

KURT
			Why don't all of you come 
			over here. 

Kurt waits as the others gather around. 

KURT
			One of the soldiers, Jackson, 
			is dead. 

Everyone is shocked.

JO ANN
			What happened?

KURT
			I'm... I don't know.  They found 
			something. 

Kurt points. 

KURT
			That, that sound was them. They're 
			fighting something.  

HARRISON
			What are we going to do?

KURT
			I'm going to that camp and find 
			out what killed my grandfather.  
			I don't expect any of you to come 
			with me.

DEAN
			Where we gonna go, Kurt?   

TUCKER
			The bridge is out. The vehicles 
			are on this side. 

Hilton and Houston look at each other and shake their heads.

HILTON
			I'm not staying here.  What the 
			hell's up there that they gotta 
			throw bombs at? 

Houston steps forward.

HOUSTON
			Nothing I want to see.  
Tucker watches the loggers agree with Houston.

Jo Ann pushes her way to the front and faces Kurt.

JO ANN
			I'll go with you.  I've waited 
			a lot of years to find out what's 
			up here.  

The loggers look at each other, uneasy and embarrassed.

Tucker clears his throat and slaps a hand down on Hilton's shoulder. 

TUCKER
			It's all right, son.

EXT. PARCEL 100589-B FIRE SIGHT

Caldwell holds Kong in his arms as he pulls a Satellite Phone from his rucksack.  The phone fails to power on.  He checks the two way radio, also dead.  

CALDWELL
			What the ...

Caldwell looks up, there is no sign of Mills or Teter.  Caldwell picks up his weapon.  Ejects the magazine, checks the rounds and reloads. 

CALDWELL
			Let's go, Kong.  

Kong gets to his feet with great effort and pain. They move  around the outer edge of the mist. 

EXT. ACCESS ROAD

Hilton, Murphy, and Houston stand apart from the others, camping gear strapped to their backs.  Kurt talks to them, he hands a cell phone to them. 

KURT
			Get as far as you can as fast 
			as you can. 

Houston takes the phone.

HOUSTON
			Don't worry, I'll get a 
			hold of Hank.  We'll get help.

Tucker looks at Harrison, Dean, and Temple. 

TUCKER
			Sure you boys don't want 
			to leave?  

EXT. DEEP FOREST

Mills pants, exhausted as he follows Teter. 

MILLS
			Teter, hold it man, let's 
			take five. 

Teter stops, turns, faces Mills.

MILLS
			I don't know where he is.  I 
			don't even know if they took 
			him out of that mist.

Teter drops to his knees next to Mills.  He looks around.

TETER
			I thought I did.

A metal clamp springs from the forest floor, a heavy cable tethers it to the earth.

Teter, startled, jumps to the side, not fast enough.  The clamp grabs Teter's right knee and locks around it. 

Teter screams in pain.  

EXT. BRIDGE EMBANKMENT

Houston, Hilton, and Murphy stand at the edge. They look down, into the gorge.  The far side is bathed in sunlight. 

HOUSTON
			That's a long way down. 

MURPHY
			Would you rather stay here?
HILTON
			I'll jump if I have to.

Hilton walks away from the others, along the edge of the gorge. 

EXT. DEEP FOREST

Teter howls in pain, clawing at the clamp in a vain attempt to free himself.

Mills holds Teter's shoulders.

MILLS
			Teter, calm down, I'll get it 
			off.  Focus.

TETER
			Screw you.  Focus.  This thing 
			hurts. 

Teter breathes deep, slowly begins to relax. 

EXT. GORGE

Houston, Hilton, and Murphy make their way carefully down the gorge wall. 

EXT. ACCESS ROAD

Dean bends over to look under the skidder.   His hard hat rolls off his head. 

DEAN
			Damn strap.  It keeps 
			loosening up.  

Harrison, leans on a skidder tire.  Shakes his head and scowls.

HARRISON
			That's your brain contracting.  
			Run some times tables through 
			it.  That will plump it up some. 

Dean kicks the hard hat out of sight into the bushes.

EXT. BUSHS/ACCESS ROAD
Dean's hard hat rolls to a stop at the legs of a crouching Dark Form. 

EXT. ACCESS ROAD

Kurt drives the bulldozer.  The machine's engine strains under the pace it is forced to clear the access road. 

Tucker looks up to the west.  

The sun is low in the trees.   

Tucker looks at his watch, then climbs into the skidder. 

EXT. DEEP FOREST

Teter leans back, eyes closed, breaths heavily.  He is more relaxed now with control of the pain. 

Mills studies the clamp.

MILLS
			I don't know, man.  I can't 
			get it off.  Maybe those 
			lumber jacks got something. 

Teter, his eyes open, he lifts his head up.

TETER
			Is the radio working?  Can you 
			get Captain Caldwell?

Mills shakes his head.  Checks the weapons. 

MILLS
			Can you sit up?

Teter tries to sit up, pain drives him back. 

Mills pats Teter on the shoulder, places a rifle next to him. 

MILLS
			O.K., O.K.  Easy, easy.  
			Just lay there, I'll be back.  

TETER
			Just hurry.
Mills gets up, moves off.  

Thirty feet away a second metal clamp springs from the ground, grabs Mills' left knee.

EXT. GORGE/FARSIDE

Hilton reaches up. Finds a hand hold on the top edge, now covered in shadows by the absent sun.  His head raises above the edge. He looks around.  Listens. 

The forest is silent. 

Hilton looks down.

Murphy and Houston, several feet below, still climb.

HILTON
			I can't hear anything. 

Murphy looks up, frustrated and tired. Closer. His way is blocked by Hilton. 

MURPHY
			Get the hell out of the way, 
			Hilton. 

Houston pauses, adjusts his grip and looks up.  He watches Hilton climb over the edge. Then Murphy is gone. 

Houston makes his way carefully.  His left hand reaches up, grasps the edge.  The right foot slips, holds himself in place with his left hand. 

HOUSTON
			Hey. A little help. 

Houston looks down, over his shoulder.  The bottom of the gorge is far below.

HOUSTON
			Crap! Hey, you guys help me!

Dark Form HAND reaches down, grabs Houston's wrist. 

Houston looks up, his eyes bulge. He sucks air deep into his lungs and screams.   His legs dangle in mid air before being pulled violently up over the edge. 
Houston's legs hang several inches above the ground.  They kick and thrash before a pair of spindly legs wrapped in shinny black cloth.  

Two more pair of shinny black cloth draped legs step up behind Houston.   

SNAP, MUFFLED GURGLE.  Houston's legs go limp.

Houston's body drops in a heap. The head flops to the side, the throat slit.

Murphy and Hilton are in similar conditions.

EXT. DEEP FOREST – DUSK

Mills lays on his back, eyes open, staring up at the trees.  His leg bleeds from around the clamp. 

MILLS
			Teter, you O.K.?   

Teter looks down at his leg.  Blood soaks his pants and the forest floor around him. 

TETER
			I can't move my foot.  I'm 
			getting cold.

MILLS
			Yeah, my foot's been numb 
			for a while now. My watch 
			stopped working with all the 
			other gear.

TETER
			I'm getting sleepy.

MILLS
			That's because you've been 
			laying on your back.

TETER
			No, I'm in shock.

MILLS
			Me too, pal.

TETER
			Hey, Mills, ever get caught beating 
			off in the closet?

MILLS
			No!

TETER
			Pretty good place to hide, 
			isn't it.

Both men laugh.

EXT. LOGGING CAMP - DUSK

Head lights flash across trees and old run down wooden structures. The roar of heavy machinery grows louder.  
Dark Forms move in the shadows, their faces and upper bodies unseen.  

EXT. ACCESS ROAD

Skidder moves forward, grapples onto a tree, cuts it.  The tree is dropped on an old building. 

INT. SKIDDER

Tucker brings the skidder to a stop. He leans forward, peers out the windshield. 

TUCKER
			OOPS!

EXT. ACCESS ROAD

The loggers halt. Chain saws stop. 

Engines idle down and cut off. 

Temple sets his saw down, pulls off a glove and sets his hard hat to the back of his head.  A great wooden structure sits before him.

The skidder backs away and pulls down the left end of the building. 

Harrison steps up next to Kurt.  They both make their way to the building. 
HARRISON
			Is this the place?  It don't 
			look like much.  

Harrison slaps the side of the building and another large section collapses.  Kurt quickly pulls Harrison out of the way. 

KURT
			What the hells the matter 
			with you? 

Tucker climbs off the dormant skidder. 

Kurt walks around the right side of the building.  A line of wooden structures runs toward the west. 
Kurt looks at Tucker. 

KURT
			Get all the vehicles up here.

Tucker nods and turns.

Kurt waves Harrison along. 

EXT. LOGGING CAMP - DUSK

Kurt steps out from between two bunk houses.  Office Shack in front him, to the left a much larger building surrounded by chain link fence.

Harrison looks at the trail of disrupted ground leading to the hold in the chain link fence.  He kneels.

HARRISON
			What made this?  

Kurt looks up at the sky. Sky grows darker by the moment. 

EXT. ACCESS ROAD

Utility trucks and Kurt's pickup stop at the edge of the camp.  Thick dust floats down through head light beams.

Tucker can be heard barking orders at Dean And Temple.

TUCKER
			Let's move you two.  You ain't 
			dead yet, that means you're 
			still on my time.  Move!

Dean and Temple jump from the trucks and head off into the dark. 

EXT. DEEP FOREST - NIGHT. 

Mills lays in the darkness, nothing visible beyond a foot. 

Teter's voice calls out, unseen. 

TETER
			Mills, tell me a joke. 

Mills nods, smiles slightly.

MILLS
			A little boy and girl, sitting 
			on their daddy's lap.  Little 
			girl points between her legs. 
			“Daddy, what's this for?”  
			“That's so boys'll want to talk 
			to you when you get older,” the 
			Daddy says.  Little boy points 
			between his legs.  “Will girls 
			talk to me because of this?”  
			Father says “No son, for that 
			you're gonna need a job and money.” 

Teter snickers in the dark. Then stops quickly.

TETER
			Someone's coming. 

Mills tries to look around, the clamp prevents him. 

MILLS
			Is it the Captain?

TETER
			I can't tell.  Hey, who's out 
			there?

Mills sits up as best he can. 

MILLS
(out loud to himself)
			I hope they brought something 
			to eat. 

TETER
			Hey!  Who is that?

The sounds of someone walking in the dark reaches Mills. 

TETER
			Holy shit!  Get the hell away 
			from me!

MILLS
			Teter, Teter, what's going on? 

A violent struggle echoes into the night.  Mills tugs frantically at the cable, cries out in pain. 

TETER
			No!  No!  No!

Brush and small trees shake and rustle.

Mills grabs his rifle, aims up, fires.

Muzzle flashes give barely visible glimpses of Dark Forms swarming on Teter.

MILLS
			Get the hell away from him!

The gunshots echo and fade.  Silence pervades the forest. 

Mills' eyes widen. 

Nothing moves.

Rifle levels, aims into the dark. 

Dark Form hand reaches in, slowly.  It grabs Mills by the throat.  Several Dark Forms rush in.

EXT. FOREST/TREE TOPS – NIGHT

Screams fill the night. 
 
EXT. CAMP – NIGHT

Kurt stands in the middle of the camp. Flood lights have been hung, brush and trees cleared.  Supplies and equipment are stacked neatly against the chain link fence.  Several wood structures complete the enclosure of the camps center.  There is military order to the layout.

Kurt looks around. Studies the camp.

KURT
			I didn't see it before.

Tucker walks up next to Kurt. Dean follows.

KURT
			This isn't a logging camp.

Tucker looks around, does not like what he realizes.  Dean notices nothing out of the ordinary.

TUCKER
			It's a military base.

Kurt nods.

DEAN
			What would the military be 
			doing way out here?

Jo Ann steps around the corner of a building, joins them.

JO ANN
			Where the military goes, the 
			government sent them.

Kurt steps over to the chain link fence.

The others look at the building behind the fence.

INT. LAB

Dark and musty except for blinding light filling one window, illuminating one corner. Old fashion and out dated lab equipment sets on some tables, near the window, with a thick lay of dust.

DOOR to the left of the window is kicked open, revealing Kurt in the door frame, an ax in his hand.  Kurt enters the lab.  He now has a large caliber, long barreled revolver strapped to his hip.

Jo Ann follows Kurt in.   She stops just inside the doorway.

JO ANN
			Well, Black Bart, is it safe?  

Kurt looks back, unhooks the restraining strap on the holster.

Jo Ann raises a flash light, shines the beam around the lab. 

Kurt follows the beam with his eyes, watches it reveal a large iron barred cage. 

JO ANN
			My God.  What is that?

Kurt walks to the cage, pulls out a flashlight, shines it inside the cage.

INT. CAGE

Light beam finds a heavy chain.  One end attached to the cage, the other holds a broken steel band.

KURT
			What the hell was up here?  
			Loggers, soldiers, or serial 
			killers.

JO ANN
			Something broke loose. 

The cage door hangs open on bent hinges.

Kurt shines his light on a name plate over the cage - BRUTUS

KURT
			Brutus.  What the hell was 
			Brutus? 

Jo Ann shines her light over the smashed and destroyed contents of the lab.  There was a terrible fight here. 

JO ANN
			Where the hell is Brutus now?
KURT
			As a kid I always hated 
			Christmas day afternoon. 

Jo Ann looks around the rest of the lab.

JO ANN
			You really need to speak 
			to a professional.

KURT
			Probably, but not because I 
			hated Christmas.

Kurt also starts looking around the lab.

KURT
			I never opened the presents, 
			like you did. 

Jo Ann shrugs, continues to search.

KURT
			But, I hated the presents. 

Jo Ann turns, looks at Kurt. 

JO ANN
			The ones under the trees?

Kurt looks under a long table.  There is noting of interest under it. 

KURT
			You spend weeks driving 
			yourself insane, waiting for 
			Christmas morning. 

JO ANN
			Yeah, it was magic. I wish I 
			had never learned about Santa. 

KURT
			Once you opened them, all  
			that torn wrapping paper was 
			sort of depressing. 

Jo Ann pauses and considers the idea.
JO ANN
			Thanks, you just reminded me, 
			I ruined all my childhood 
			memories of Christmas.

Kurt stands up straight, looks over at Jo Ann.

KURT
			I've been dreaming of this 
			day my entire life. 

Kurt sets the flashlight down and leans against a table. 

KURT
			I'm not a logger. I'm an 
			assassin.

Jo Ann stops, looks at Kurt.

KURT
			Avenging the death of my 
			father and grandfather.

Kurt looks back at the cage. 

KURT
			A life long mystery answered 
			with another mystery.  

Kurt waves a hand back at the cage. 

KURT
			Brutus... Brutus.

Jo Ann digs through some debris under a work bench. She finds a journal and pulls it out. 

JO ANN
			Maybe I have something.

KURT
			The condition of that cage tells 
			me, Brutus, weren't no human.

Kurt walks to a table covered with rows of clay pots, both damaged and undamaged. All still contain some soil.
Jo Ann is engrossed in the journal.

KURT
			No answers in here, just 
			more questions.

EXT. CAMP – NIGHT

Noise and light fill the camp center.  There is activity everywhere.  Tucker and Harrison keep a watchful eye on the fuel truck.  Kurt and Dean repair damage to the skidder.
Kurt lays on his back under the skidder.

KURT
			I keep telling you to go easy 
			on the hydraulics.  Look at the 
			thing.  It's twisted. 

Dean tosses a wrench down, barely missing Kurt's head.

DEAN
			Jesus Christ, Kurt.  I'll remember 
			that the next time we gotta run 
			like hell because a Delta Force 
			team is getting its ass kicked 
			behind us. 

Kurt closes his eyes and shakes his head.  He rolls out from under the skidder.

Dean and Kurt stand up together.  Kurt tosses his wrench to the ground. 

KURT
			You did good today, kid.  I 
			haven't had a chance to tell 
			you that. 

Dean looks down at the ground.

KURT
			Thanks for coming along, too.

Dean nods.
			
DEAN
			Thanks.

HARRISON
			Something's coming.
Harrison yells from the edge of the camp.  Temple stands up next to Harrison.

Kurt steps away from Dean.

KURT
			Tuck, get ready.

Tucker hops on the back of the fuel truck, pulls the nozzle out.  He holds a road flare in his other hand.  There is a lever action shotgun, close at hand, on the truck's roof.

All eyes watch the tree line.  

TEMPLE
			Something's moving in the 
			bushes.    

Kong limps his way into the light of the camp on three legs. The fourth hangs limp, slashed open and covered with blood. 

HARRISON
			It's Kong!  Hey boy, come 
			here.  

Kurt looks up, runs to Kong.

KURT
			Kong!

Kong yelps at the sound of Kurt's voice.  He pushes past a kneeling, open armed Harrison.

Kurt runs as hard and fast as he can, throws himself at Kong.

Kong throws himself at Kurt's feet, howling loudly in pain and overwhelming joy, nips and bites affectionately at Kurt's face. 

Kurt wraps his arms around Kong, soothes him. 

KURT
			O.K., O.K. I'm here, I'm here.  
			Yes baby, Daddy's here.  You're 
			safe now.  

Jo Ann and Tucker step up behind Kurt and Kong. 

Jo Ann, touched by the emotional display, wipes a tear from her eye.  

Tucker rubs his eyes, then quickly looks to see if anyone has noticed.

Kurt rocks Kong gently as he continues to whimper. 

KURT
			I'm right here, baby.  

Tucker kneels down next to Kurt, runs a hand over Kong's wounds. 

TUCKER
			Poor bastard looks like he's 
			been through a meat grinder.  
(to Kong)
			It's O.K., big fella, You're 
			safe now.

Temple looks up to see Caldwell stumble into the camp.

CALDWELL
			None of you are safe. 

Caldwell takes a couple more steps and collapses, face first next to Kong.  Hank's cane locked firmly in his left hand. 

Temple rolls Caldwell over.  His uniform torn and bloody in a dozen places. 

CALDWELL
			Should have seen him fight those 
			bastards.  He must of killed eight 
			of them.  

Caldwell reaches a hand out to Kong, pats his head.  Kong licks the hand.

CALDWELL
			I'd be dead a half dozen times 
			if it weren't for him.

CAMERA SNAPS  Jo Ann takes a picture of Caldwell and Kong. 
Caldwell's head flops to the side, unconscious. 

Kong whines and struggles to pull himself from Kurt's arms. 

Temple checks for a pulse, nods to Kurt. 

Caldwell's eyes opens, head comes back up.  He looks around the camp. 

CALDWELL
			Teter, secure the perimeter.  
			Jackson... 

Kong rolls into Caldwell, licks his face.

Tucker puts a hand on Caldwell's shoulder.  

TUCKER
			Captain, they ain't here.

Caldwell closes his eyes, pulls Kong closer, buries his face into Kong's fur. 

Temple stands up with Harrison and Jo Ann.

TEMPLE
			What happened to them?

Harrison just looks on blankly. 

EXT. CAMP - NIGHT 

Caldwell stands with Kurt and Tucker.  Caldwell looks around the camp.  His wounds wrapped. 

CALDWELL
			Where's the rest of your crew?

KURT
			We had them hike out.

Caldwell rubs his eyes, tilts his head down.

Tucker watches Caldwell, leans on one leg, rests a hand on his hip.
TUCKER
			Something wrong, Captain?

Jo Ann sits under a lamp, engrossed in the journal.  Kong, curled in a ball next to her, is wrapped with bandages.  He lifts his head, rests it on Jo Ann's thigh.

Caldwell looks at Kong.

CALDWELL
			How many?  

KURT
			Three. Why?

TUCKER
			Oh, sweet Jesus!

KURT
			Easy, Tuck, we don't know 
			for sure. 

Caldwell shakes his head, slightly.

KURT
			We found somethings you should 
			see. 

EXT. CAMP

A generator roars, secluded, in the night, away from the center of the camp.			

INT. OFFICE SHACK

Shack is lit with lanterns.  The photos have been stacked on the desk.  

Caldwell follows Kurt and Tucker into the office.

Kurt grabs the pictures, hands them to Caldwell.

Caldwell looks through the photos slowly.

Tucker looks over Caldwell's shoulder. 

FULL FRAME  Timber tree creature chained in the Brutus cage.

EXT. CAMP

Dark Form bends over the generator.  
Other Dark Forms approach the camp in groups of twos and threes.  Night prevents a clear view of their upper bodies and heads. 

INT. LAB

Caldwell bends to holds the photo under the brighter light of a lantern. 

CALDWELL
			Wow.  

TUCKER
			Brutus ain't in his cage no 
			more. 

Caldwell looks up at Kurt, who shakes his head. 

KURT
			Is that what you and Kong 
			fought with... out there?

Caldwell studies the photo, shakes his head. 

EXT. CAMP

Dark Forms look carefully at the vehicles.

INT. LAB  

CALDWELL
			No.  It wasn't anything like 
			this that attacked us. 

Tucker slams his fist into the wall.

TUCKER
			Ah, frigging great.  You mean 
			to tell me there's another 
			nightmare out there, some where!

Jo Ann enters, she carries the journal.

JO ANN
			I found out what happened.  

CALDWELL
			Why don't you fill us in. 

INT. LAB – NIGHT 

Everyone is present.  Jo Ann stands on the opposite side of the room from the door.  Behind her a darkened window.

JO ANN
			According to what I've found.  

Jo Ann indicates several journals and a stack of photos. 

JO ANN
			This was a test site for a 
			project called --

CALDWELL
			-- Timber.  Project Timber.

Everyone looks at Caldwell.

KURT
			Does this mean you're going 
			to tell me what you know. 

EXT. CAMP

Dark Form approaches a flood light from the back side.  It pushes the light stand over. 

The bulb explodes against the forest floor. 

INT. LAB

TUCKER
			Project Timber.  How clever. 

CALDWELL
			We came up here expecting to 
			find a carnivorous tree.

Jo Ann pulls a photo out of the stack.  She looks at it. 

JO ANN
			Looks like there maybe more 
			than one. 
Jo Ann passes the photo to Caldwell. 

FULL FRAME old photo of men in lab coats planting clippings into pots.

JO ANN
			There were soldiers, loggers, 
			and scientists up here. 

Kurt walks to a work bench covered with dozens of broken pots. 

KURT
			Apparently they were using 
			Brutus as a source of cuttings. 

EXT. CAMP 

A dozen Dark Forms move to the center of the camp. 

INT. LAB

Harrison looks at the work bench, walks to it and picks up a broken piece of pot. 

HARRISON
			How could something like this 
			have happened?

DEAN
			God damn trees.  Trees! 

HARRISON
			I mean who ever heard of 
			something like this?

Everyone looks to Caldwell.

Caldwell returns the looks.

CALDWELL
			My orders didn't say anything 
			about the how or why. 

KURT
			Just the what.

TUCKER
			They told you only one tree? 

Caldwell nods, looks at the work bench.

TUCKER
			There could be thousands of 
			them out there.

Caldwell takes the pot from Harrison, studies it, then tosses it back on the work bench.

CALDWELL
			Like I said, it wasn't these 
			things that attacked us.

Jo Ann opens a journal.  

JO ANN
			Listen to this. 

Jo Ann reads out loud:

September Sixteenth, 1943.
That Army Captain, Henderson, died this morning – damn fool.  He told us, late last night, there would be some troops coming up next week.  We all laughed at him.  Next week would be too late for them to be any good.  We should have all left when we found out what he was up to. 

JO ANN
			I can't read any more on this 
			page. 

Jo Ann carefully turns the page and continues to read:

September Seventeenth, 1943.
We lost three more men today.  I guess they couldn't take it anymore.   They just ran straight into the woods.  That's eight in the last four days.  Peterson wanted to shoot the three men in the back before those things could get them, but the rest of them would not let him.  All we could do then was watch them die.  I told Peterson, when it was all over, I'd make sure we wouldn't stop him if any more wanted to run.  I hope that damn Henderson is burning in hell for bringing this curse to these woods.  

Jo Ann turns to the next page and continues to read:
EXT. CAMP

Lights go off all around the camp.

EXT. ABOVE CAMP

One by one, sections of darkness close in around the lab, closing a tight noose around it. 

EXT. CAMP

The outlines of Dark Forms move slowly to the lab.

INT. LAB

Kong growls at the rear window.

Temple at the front window looks out.

TEMPLE
			Hey, the lights are going out.

Tucker heads for the front window, the shot gun in his hand.  

TUCKER
			What the hell?  Those generators 
			were working fine.

Kurt looks at Brutus' cage. 

Temple steps back, surprised as the front window goes black.

The back window grows brighter, revealing the outline of a Dark Form. Kong's growling becomes angrier, more excited.  Jo Ann, looking at the rear window, screams at the appearance of the Dark Form. 

Dark Form leans forward, large, black, almond shaped, eyes stare, coldly, into the lab.  Puss colored skin stretched taunt a nearly featureless skull. The Dark Form places it's hands against the window. 

Dean rushes forward, swings an ax at the Dark Form through the window.  Glass smashes all over the Dark Form.  Without flinching it reaches for Jo Ann.  She continues to scream, unable to move. 

EXT. CAMP

Several Dark Forms move to the door of the lab.  More crowd through the main gate of the chain link fence. 

INT. LAB

Caldwell brings his rifle up, ready to fire. 

LANTERN, is knocked over and burst into flames next to Caldwell.  Caldwell rolls to the the left to avoid the flames. 

The outline of two Dark Form's heads appear close to the front window.  Temple jumps back, startled. 

Tucker grabs the door handle and pulls.

A brief glimpse of a Dark Form. It tilts it's head up to look at Tucker.  Flickers of flame reflect in it's clothing.

Tucker swings the shotgun down like a club. 

Dark Form uses little effort or speed to barely touch Tucker's chest.

Tucker flies across the lab.  The shotgun clatters across the floor. 

Harrison picks up the remaining lantern and throws it at the Dark Form in the doorway. Light in the lab becomes a shimmering glow thrown off by the flames of the burning lantern.

Dark Form steps out of the way of the lantern and enters the lab. 

REAR WINDOW Dark Form grabs the ax and yanks it from Dean's grip. 

Dean looks to Jo Ann.  

DEAN
			Get behind me.

Temple looks at the shotgun on the floor and dives for it. 

Tucker, lays face down on the floor, groans.  The wall over him is violently smashed in. Debris falls over Tucker. 

Two Dark Forms look in through the hole in the wall. They bend and enter, stand over Tucker. 

FRONT DOOR  Dark Form looks straight at Harrison.  It takes a step toward him. 

Harrison stumbles backward.

FRONT DOOR Dark Form tears the door from its hinges, throws it at Harrison.  

Front Door hits Harrison and Kurt, knocking both to the floor. 

Kong looks to the back of the lab.

Dark Form, standing over Tucker, produces a frightful looking blade weapon.  It lowers the weapon toward Tucker. 

Kong growls and charges.

Dark Form over Tucker looks up to see Kong sail at it through the air. 

Dark Form is slammed against the back wall by Kong.  It's eyes close momentarily. 

Second Dark Form steps to Kong and reaches for him. 

Kong snarls and bites the Dark Form's hand, crushing it. Kong shakes his head, snaps the Dark Form's arm in several places.

The Dark Form falls back, cradles it's damaged arm. 

Kong looks back at the other Dark Form, It's eyes now open again. 

Tucker's fist slams into the side of the Dark form's head. 

Kong  attacks the Dark Form's throat, the bulk of his body block's any view of this carnage.

Dean  stretches his arms behind him, protectively to the sides of Jo Ann.  

Dark Form, at the rear window, methodically climbs through the broken frame. 

Dean rears back with his right arm, shuffles forward.

CALDWELL
(v.o.)
			Get down!

Dean freezes, looks over his right shoulder. 

Caldwell, rifle in his shoulder, fires.

Dark Form, in the window, is hit in the chest and falls back out of the window frame. 

Temple, sits on the floor, aims the shotgun, he fires. 

FRONT WINDOW  Two Dark Forms, turn their heads together.  Shotgun blast slams into the window.  Left side Dark Form steps back a pace and drops. 

BLAM  Pistol fires, bullet hits the right side Dark Form in the face.  It stumbles back, vanishes into the night. 

Kurt holds the door off Harrison with one hand, smoking revolver in the other.  

DOOR WAY  Dark Form bends slightly, cocks it's head, takes a step toward Temple.

Temple cocks the lever of the shotgun. 

The Dark Form's head follows the flight of the spent shell as it is ejected and clatters across the floor.  Dark Form's head swivels back on it's neck to look into the muzzle of the shotgun. 

BLAM   Dark Form's head is removed by another shotgun blast. 

Kong drops the lifeless Dark Form, steps back with Tucker. 

EXT. CAMP 

Dark Forms move back from the lab. They fade into the darkness. 

INT. LAB

Caldwell, his rifle aimed at the rear window, motions Jo Ann and Dean behind him. 
 
CALDWELL
			Nobody relax yet.  If you 
			have a weapon, cover the 
			entry points. 

Caldwell pats Dean on the shoulder as he passes. 

KURT
			Let's get that fire out. 

CALDWELL
			Nice work, Kid.  Good hustle. 

Dean, a slight spark of pride, takes a back to back position with Caldwell.

Harrison grabs the door and drops is on the flames, the lab instantly fades to darkness. 

DEAN
			I got your back, Captain. 

Caldwell's eyes and rifle never leave the rear window. 

CALDWELL
			I know, kid. 

Tucker holds back a growling Kong and looks down at the Dark Form laying dead at his feet. 

TUCKER
			Easy, Toughie. They don't want 
			no more of you. 

Temple cocks the shotgun. Looks back at the dead Dark Form. 

TEMPLE
			Does anybody know what the 
			hell that is? 

Kurt reloads his spent chambers. 

Temple shines his flashlight around the lab.  
KURT
			Anybody hurt?

TEMPLE
			Anymore flashlights in here.  

Harrison clicks on a flashlight, aims it at the dead Dark Form. 

HARRISON
			I've never seen anything 
			like that. 

DEAN
			Looks like one of those things 
			that fly around in UFOs, 
			abducting people in their 
			sleep.  

TUCKER
			You mean those ass probe 
			stuffing mother fuckers?

Dean turns on a flashlight. 

DEAN
			Kong torn him a new asshole. 

Tucker leans in closer.

TUCKER
			No, he tore everything away 
			from around the old one.

TEMPLE nods and steps closer to the front door. 

CALDWELL
			Little bastard's are so mean 
			I don't think they have assholes.  

Tucker shutters. 

HARRISON
			God Damned things give me 
			the creeps.

Everyone gathers around the Dark Form. Those with weapons, keep an eye and flashlight on the door and windows.  Temple stays by the front window.

The Dark Form lays still on the floor.  A reddish fluid seeps from it's destroyed throat. It's eyes stare, emotionless, up at them.

Kurt kneels down next to the Dark Form. He feels the material of its clothing.  

Caldwell hands his rifle to Dean and kneels next to Kurt. 

Dean turns and covers the rear window. 

Kurt looks curiously at Caldwell and Dean.

KURT
			I thought these things were 
			bullshit.

CALDWELL
			Hell, I've been to Area 51. 
			This stuff doesn't exist.    

Tucker pokes the Dark Form with his boot.  

TUCKER
			What the hell's this, a 
			Belgian? I don't think so.

Jo Ann leans over Kurt, brushes against him.

JO ANN
			Captain, is that what attacked 
			you and your men. 

CALDWELL
			Yes, ma'am and Kong too. 

Caldwell pats Kong on the Back.  

TUCKER
			He sure as hell don't 
			like these things.  

CALDWELL
			This is not what I was 
			told to expect.  

Temple shines the flashlight out the doorway.  

EXT. CAMP

Light beam cuts a hole in the night, reveals the empty camp.  Outside the door, broken glass covers the ground, but no sign of the Dark Forms shot there.

TEMPLE
			I don't see any of them. 

INT. LAB

Tucker motions Kurt's attention to the hole in the back wall.  

Harrison hands his flashlight to Tucker, he shines it out the back hole. 

Kurt aims his revolver at the hole. 

KURT
			Looks clear.  What do 
			we do now, Captain? 

Caldwell stands, steps to the rear window and shines his flashlight outside. 

EXT. CAMP 

Caldwell's beam bounces about.  Nothing is there.

INT. LAB

Caldwell steps to the side of the window, pressing his back against the wall. 

CALDWELL
			I think we're secure for 
			the moment.

Caldwell looks at Temple.

CALDWELL
			Keep a good eye on that side. 
			 
Temple nods, a flash of pride spreads across his face. 
Caldwell does not notice the look of approval given him by Kurt. 

CALDWELL
			I've seen enough.  Let's get 
			the hell out of here. 

Kurt looks at Jo Ann.

KURT
			I'm satisfied.  You?

Jo Ann nods.

TUCKER
			Not to be a downer.  But how 
			the hell do we get out of here?

Jo Ann picks the journal off the floor. She shines a flashlight on an open page. 

JO ANN
			Tuck's got a point. Listen 
			to this. 

Jo Ann reads:

SEPEMBER EIGHTTEENTH, 1943
Today was the worst, dear God what have we done to this good soil?  There is only four of us left.  We woke this morning to find they could actually move around freely.  They have only been toying with us all along. 

Jo Ann looks up from the journal. 

JO ANN
			This was written by Johnathan 
			Wilder.

KURT
			That was my grandfather.  

TUCKER
			Mystery solved, Kurt. 

KURT
			Yeah, let's get the hell out 
			of here. 

HARRISON
			Leave.  Don't we want to find 
			out where those things come from?

Everyone looks at Harrison, who looks at Caldwell. 

HARRISON
			Captain, didn't you come here 
			to find out what happened.

CALDWELL
			Yes, and I damn well did.  Found 
			out too much.

Kurt looks out the rear window. Shakes his head. 

KURT
			You're the expert, Caldwell.  
			How do we want to...

Caldwell stands next to Kurt and looks out side with him. 

CALDWELL
			Escape? Run like hell? Some 
			expert I am, I lost my hole 
			team. 

HARRISON
			Maybe we should wait until 
			first light.

Caldwell does not turn.
 
CALDWELL
			Traditionally, defense is 
			usually the weakest position 
			to take.  Offense always the 
			strongest. 

TUCKER
			What else is there?  Nobody 
			but numb nuts over there 
(points to Harrison)
			wants to go after them.

JO ANN
			We have to tell somebody what's 
			going on up here. 
Jo Ann turns and looks at Harrison.

JO ANN
			If we're all dead, they'll send 
			more people. 

HARRISON
			They'll die too.

CALDWELL
			Besides, we're on our own up 
			here. I have no way of contacting 
			my back up. 

KURT
			Billy will be here sometime in 
			the morning. But how's he going 
			to know where we are? 

Kurt leads Caldwell to the side.  Pulls a hip flask out, unscrews the top.  Kurt sucks a good portion out then hands it to Caldwell.

Caldwell takes the flask, considers it a moment. 

CALDWELL
			I don't usually drink.

Caldwell up ends the flask and takes a larger belt than Kurt.

CALDWELL
			But, I don't usually engage in 
			close combat with space men 
			either. 

The flask is passed back to Kurt, who takes one more hit before putting the flask away. 

KURT
			Do you think we can make it?

Caldwell looks up at the star filled sky, then digs into his pack, pulls out several grenades.  He looks at them briefly then hands them to Kurt. 

Kurt looks confused. 

CALDWELL
			Let's see what the little 
			bastards think of a forest 
			fire. 

EXT. CAMP – LATE NIGHT

Tucker empties a bucket of diesel fuel against the outer wall of the lab. 

Caldwell exits the lab, lights a rag and throws it back inside. WOOM  Flames erupt inside the lab.

Jo Ann holds the journal close to her chest, Kurt stands beside her.  Most of the camp is burning now.
Kong sniffs the air, whines. 

Dean climbs on the bulldozer, fires it up.  He looks around. 

DEAN
			Temple, get your ass up here. 

Temple leaps onto the bulldozer's tracks with the shotgun in his hand.  Bulldozer is thrown into gear, and lurches forward. 
			
Harrison turns the fuel truck onto the access road behind the bulldozer.  Tucker and Caldwell ride on the back. 

Kurt's pick up takes the rear.  Jo Ann and Kong ride with him. 

Caldwell looks back at the burning camp.  Nods to Tucker. 

Tucker holds the nozzle at the end of the fuel truck's hose.  He opens it up, sprays fuel into the forest.  Caldwell ignites a road flare and throws it into the darkness. 

The surrounding forest lights up like the day. 

Tucker sprays to the opposite side.

Dean pushes the the bulldozer at top speed, quickly diving into more darkness. 

DEAN
			Hang on, Temple.  

EXT. ACCESS ROAD – NIGHT – LATER

A great tree trunk lays across the the bulldozer's path.

TEMPLE
			Don't slow down, don't slow 
			down!

Bulldozer's blade lowers, pushes up dirt, and slams into the tree trunk.  The bulldozer shutters and bounces, throwing Dean and Temple about. 

Temple struggles to maintain his grip, nearly dropping the shotgun.

Tree trunk bounces into the darkness.

Temple regains himself, shines a flashlight into the forest. 

Tree trunk barrels over smaller trees, finally coming to rest against several larger trees. 

Several pairs of Dark Form eyes reflect the flashlight beam from beyond the tree trunk.

Temple is startled and drops the flashlight. 

TEMPLE
			They're out there. They're 
			watching us. 

Dean concentrates on driving.

TEMPLE
			What are they?  What do they 
			want?

Dean shakes his head.  The forest around and in front of the bulldozer flashes brightly.

FUEL TRUCK  Caldwell pats Tucker's arm. 

CALDWELL
			Hold off for a while, Tuck.
Tucker shuts off the nozzle.

INT. KURT'S PICKUP

Jo Ann looks over at Kurt. 

JO ANN
			Those things are trying to 
			block us in. 

Kurt nods.

JO ANN
			What do you make of all this? 

Kurt considers the question for a moment. 

KURT
			Ever see one of those movies 
			where a space ship from earth 
			lands on an alien planet?

Jo Ann nods.

KURT
			And the earthlings do something 
			stupid to piss off the natives.

Jo Ann nods again. 

KURT
			Well, did we do anything 
			obviously stupid to piss 
			them off?

Jo Ann shakes her head no. 

KURT
			We are still on earth, aren't 
			we? 

JO ANN
			As far as I know we are. 

KURT
			Shit, then I'm baffled. 

JO ANN
			Kurt, what are those things? 

KURT
			I don't know.

JO ANN
			Where are they from? 

KURT
			Some other planet.  A UFO. Maybe 
			they're just God Damn demons.

JO ANN
			Do you think this is what the 
			government was trying to hide 
			here?  

Kurt shakes his head. 

KURT
			We'd be dead now if that 
			were the case. 

JO ANN
			Caldwell?

INT/EXT PICKUP/WINDSHIELD

Dark Form stands up in the brush along the road.  It hurls a thick, several foot long, log.

Log smashes into the windshield, fracturing much of it. 

Jo Ann screams, ducks.  Kurt, pistol in hand aims out the window and fires at the Dark Form. 

EXT. PICKUP 

Log strikes the passenger door.

FUEL TRUCK  Caldwell raises his rifle. 

Dark Form RUNS up to the edge of the road, carries a log with it. Several bullets hit the ground around it.  One round smashes through it's right leg.  Dark Form tumbles to the ground and rolls into the road in front of Kurt's pickup. 
Pickup's front bumper strikes the Dark Form as it tries to sit up.  Front tire rolls over the Dark Form. 

Dark Form lays still for only seconds then sits up.  It looks casually at the pickup as it speeds away.  Dark Form stands and runs after the pick up. 

INT. PICKUP

Jo Ann looks out the rear window.  Her hand goes to her mouth. 

JO ANN
			My God, it got up.  

Kurt looks in his driver's side mirror.

MIRROR   Dark Form is outlined against the flames of the burning forest. 

KURT
			Oh, yeah.

EXT. ACCESS ROAD/PICKUP

Break lights flash, the tires lock, and the pickup slides to a stop.

Dark Form runs, full speed, into the the tailgate and bumper.  It falls side ways to the road. 

Pickup tears off. 

INT. PICKUP 

Kurt looks forward.  Joann Looks out the back.

EXT. ACCESS ROAD

Dark Form sits up, shakes it's head, coughs dark fluid, then falls back.

INT. PICKUP

KURT
			Is it still coming, now?

JO ANN
			No. 

EXT. ACCESS ROAD

Bulldozer slides to a stop as a large tree falls across the road.  Dark Forms scurry away from the stump. 

BULLDOZER  Temple fires several shots at the Dark Forms.

Log strikes Temple in the back of the head, knocks him forward and off the bulldozer.  Temple hits the track and rolls off and out into the brush along the road. 

EXT. FOREST  

Dark Form watches Temple lay in the bushes.  Several Dark Form move closer.

LOG  raised in the air. 

Temple lifts his head up, sees the Dark Forms around him. 

EXT. FUEL TRUCK  

Caldwell raises his rifle – fires. 

EXT. FOREST 

Dark Form drops the log, falls back with a bullet hole in it's head. 

Other Dark Forms rush in on Temple, pummeling him with their fists. 

Caldwell continues to fire. 

Dean jumps from his seat and off the side of the bulldozer. 

Tucker shuts off the nozzle, pulls out a road flare.   The fuel truck rolls to a stop behind the bulldozer. Tucker pauses a moment before he ignites the flare. He watches Dean.

TUCKER
			What the hell is he doing?

Caldwell stops shooting. 
CALDWELL
			He's going after Temple! 

Caldwell slaps Tucker's leg, and climbs off the fuel truck.

CALDWELL
			Come on.  

Tucker follows.

EXT. ACCESS ROAD 

Pick up stops, the head lights fade.  Engine goes dead. 

INT. PICKUP 

Dash board lights blink out.  

Kurt turns the key, nothing happens.

KURT
			What the hell!

Jo Ann looks out the windshield. 

JO ANN
			Kurt, what are they doing? 

Kurt's eyes follow Jo Ann's gaze.

EXT. FOREST

Dean scoops up the shotgun, runs after Temple. Several Dark Forms assault Temple.  

Tucker pauses to lob an ignited road flare into the forest.

EXT. ACCESS ROAD

Kurt gets out of the pickup as Dark Forms surround it. 

Brilliant light flares, Kurt sees the Dark Forms, their eyes blaze with reflective light, only feet from him.  Kurt jumps back, pulls out his revolver.

The light dims quickly to the flicker and shimmer of burning brush.

Kurt swings the revolver up, connecting soundly against the nearest Dark Form's head.  Kurt backs away to the front of the truck. 

INT/EXT. PICKUP

Dark Form steps up to the open driver's door.  It turns it's head to look at Jo Ann and startles her. 

KURT
			Get, out of there!  

Kong growls and snaps, Jo Ann grasps the door handle, throws herself against the door. 

EXT. ACCESS ROAD

Jo Ann and Kong tumble out the passenger door.  Kurt is there to help Jo Ann to her feet. 

Kurt fires a shot toward the front of the pickup. 

Dark Form shutters from the impact of the slug and keeps moving forward.

Kurt takes Jo Ann's arm, leads her away. 

KURT
			Come on.

JO ANN
			How far to the gorge? 

KURT
			I don't know- Two... three 
			miles. 

Dark Form  creeps up next to Dean, raises a wood club and swings. 

Dean blocks the club with the shotgun, it cracks, breaks under the impact. 

Dark Form swings again, breaks the shotgun in half. 

Dean connects with an upper cut to the Dark Form's chin. 

Other Dark Forms rush in.  Dean fights them off with a high degree of martial arts skill.

Caldwell and Tucker run to Dean.  A burning tree falls across their path.  They watch helplessly through the flames as Dean is overcome by greater numbers and dragged from sight into the night forest.

Tucker looks for a way around the tree.  He looks with surprise and anger at Caldwell, who shows no intent to help Dean or Temple. 

TUCKER
			Come on, Captain, we have 
			to help them.  

Tucker shows signs of panic. 

Caldwell looks back at the fuel truck.  He sees Kurt and Jo Ann hurrying to them.  He turns back to Tucker.

Dark Forms move in. 

CALDWELL
			We have to move.   

Tucker explodes in anger, gets in Caldwell's face. 

TUCKER
			Those are my men out there!

Tucker stabs a finger into Caldwell's chest. 

TUCKER
			We're going after them.

Caldwell strikes Tucker in the solar plexus.

Tucker drops to his hands and knees, desperately fights to breath. 

Caldwell leans over to Tucker's ear. 

CALDWELL
			We've both lost men today.   

Caldwell stands up.  Tucker begins to breath again. 

CALDWELL
			More will be lost if we don't 
			get out of here. 

Kurt arrives.

KURT
			What are you doing?

Jo Ann goes to Tucker, helps him to his feet. 
Caldwell checks his weapon.

CALDWELL
			Dean and Temple are dead.  
			Tucker wanted to go after 
			them.

Kurtlooks past the burning tree.  There is no movement there now.  He turns to Caldwell.

KURT
			I'll drive the bulldozer.  
			Tuck, get your shit together.

Tucker stumbles past Kurt and Caldwell, Kurt follows after him.  Caldwell and Jo Ann take the rear.

Kong looks into the forest, growls. 

FUEL TRUCK

Cab is empty.  Tucker and Kurt look around. 

KURT
			Harrison?  Harrison!  Son of 
			a bitch. 

TUCKER
			What the hell's going on, 
			Kurt?  What is this?

Kurt looks around as Caldwell, Jo Ann and Kong move close to the side of the fuel truck.

KURT
			I don't know, Pal.

EXT. FOREST
Flames are spreading, devouring everything. 

FUEL TRUCK

JO ANN
			What's wrong?

Caldwell looks in the fuel truck.

KURT
			Harrison's gone also. 

Caldwell looks at the tree blocking the bulldozer.

CALDWELL
			Kurt, what do you want to do?

BULLDOZER

Kurt operates the machine and pushes the tree off the road while Caldwell and Tucker stand guard. 

FOREST FIRE burns closer to the access road. 

Tucker looks down at Caldwell.

TUCKER
			When this is over, we have a 
			score to settle. 

Caldwell looks up at Tucker, cocks his head. 

CALDWELL
			Grow up, asshole, what do you 
			think our chances of seeing 
			day light are.

Caldwell turns away from the dumb look that spreads across Tucker's face.

Bulldozer finishes pushing the tree out of the way and stops to let Jo Ann climb on. 

Caldwell climbs behind the wheel of the fuel truck. 
Tucker climbs on top of the fuel truck.

On the bulldozer Jo Ann pushes in close to Kurt. 

JO ANN
			What about Harrison? 

Kurt just shakes his head. 

Bulldozer heads into the night. 

EXT. FUEL TRUCK 

Passenger door opens, Kong climbs into the cab. 

Fuel sprays off the top of the fuel truck.

Dark Form eyes reflect out of the forest.  They watch the vehicles travel into the night. 

EXT. ACCESS ROAD / GORGE – DAWN

Soft purr of an engine in the distance wakes the forest. Far below the edge of the gorge white water hums.

Engine grows louder. 

EXT. BULLDOZER  

Headlights blaze, it rolls to a stop at the edge of the gorge.

Kurt and Jo Ann look around.  The fuel truck pulls up next to the Bulldozer.  Kurt looks over at Caldwell. 

EXT. GORGE – DAWN

Caldwell, weapon ready, looks down into the gorge.  Kurt looks at the forest on the far side. 

Tucker walks toward the forest, Kong limps along. Tucker shines a flashlight back into the forest. 

EXT. FOREST  

Flashlight beam reflects in the eyes of several Dark Forms. 

EXT. GORGE

Tucker takes an involuntary step back. 

TUCKER
			They're here.

Tucker turns and runs back to the fuel truck.  Kong follows him. 

Caldwell meets Tucker at the back of the fuel truck.  Kurt puts Jo Ann in the Cab of the truck. 

KURT
			You stay in here. 

Kurt shuts the door. 

INT/EXT. FUEL TRUCK CAB

Jo Ann looks our at Kurt.

KURT
			Lock it.  

Jo Ann locks the door. 

EXT. FOREST

Underbrush is pushed aside.  Something moves relentlessly toward the vehicles.  In other places more movement. 

EXT. ACCESS ROAD / FUEL TRUCK 

Caldwell watches the movement, pulls a pistol from a shoulder holster, passes it to Tucker, along with Hank's cane. 

EXT. FOREST

Dark Forms emerge from the tree line, walk slowly across the road. 

FUEL TRUCK 

Kurt stops along side Caldwell and Tucker. 

KURT
			These assholes don't give up.

Dozens of Dark Forms move in. 

TUCKER
			Kurt, take that little lady 
			and get the hell out of here. 

KURT
			I'm not leaving you. 

CALDWELL
			Tuck's right.  We'll hold them 
			back as long as we can.  

KURT
			What are you talking about?

CALDWELL
			You have to tell somebody about 
			this place. 

KURT
			They're gonna think I'm nuts.  

Dark Forms move closer, many carry weapons- knives, clubs. 

KURT
			How do I get through them?

CALDWELL
			The ravine, climb down into it.   

Kurt nods.

KURT
			Just slow them down.  Get the 
			hell out if you get over run. 

TUCKER
			Good luck, Kurt.

CALDWELL
			Get going! 

Caldwell starts firing. 

Kurt hurries to Jo Ann, she gets out of the cab.  She looks in the direction of the fighting. 

JO ANN
			Where are we going?
KURT
			They're buying us time.

Jo Ann fights against Kurt leading her away.

JO ANN
			We're leaving them?  

KURT
			Let's go, they're coming. 

Jo Ann allows herself to be led away.  They make their way to the edge. 

Dark Form swings a club at Caldwell, hits him in the shoulder. 

Tucker swings the cane, strikes Dark Forms as fast as they can get to him. 

Kong goes after three Dark Forms, viciously fighting for his own life. 

Caldwell looks up, his face turns grim. 

CALDWELL
			Great Caesar's Ghost!   

EXT. FOREST

Brilliant light flares down from the tree tops.  Behind the light hovers a large black object. 

CALDWELL
			You see that, Tucker? 

Tucker swings at another Dark Form, steals a brief view at the lights. 

TUCKER
			What do we do? 

Caldwell butt strokes a Dark Form then shoots another. 

CALDWELL
			Get in the truck.  Move it under 
			that thing.  

Tucker bounces the end of the cane off the head of one more Dark Form.  The creature steps back and falls down. 

Tucker runs to the driver's door of the Fuel Truck.

EXT. GORGE WALL – PREDAWN

Kurt and Jo Ann pause, as they climb down, to look up at the sound of gun fire. 

Fuel truck engine roars to life.  Kurt looks at Jo Ann. 

JO ANN
			What are they doing? 

KURT
			Keep moving. 

Both continue down the wall.

EXT. DEEP FOREST – DAWN

Dean, unconscious, is dragged through the forest by his feet.  Dark Form legs move methodically through the under brush. 

EXT. ACCESS ROAD / GORGE – DAWN

Caldwell fires several more shots, changes magazines and climbs onto the Fuel Truck.

Kong snarls and growls, tangled in battle with several Dark Forms. 

INT. FUEL TRUCK 

Tucker jams the truck into reverse, cuts the wheel left and stomps the gas. 

EXT. FUEL TRUCK / TOP OF TANK

Caldwell is thrown to the side, struggles to remain on the truck.

FUEL TRUCK / BACK END

Rear bumper misses Kong, mashes into two Dark Forms.

Kong runs away from the truck. 

Fuel Truck stops.  Gears grind and the vehicle lurches forward. 

EXT. GORGE TOP EDGE  

Front left wheel of fuel truck drives off the edge.  The Truck slides several feet across the edge, stops at a dangerous tilt. 

Caldwell falls flat, rolls over, looks down at the truck's front end hang over the edge. 

CALDWELL
			Oh, shit. 

INT. FUEL TRUCK

Tucker is thrown against the door.  CRACK  The door swings open over the black emptiness of the gorge.  Tucker grabs the door as he falls. He looks up, the passenger door opens, a Dark From enters the cab. 

TUCKER
			You creepy little bastards!

Dark Form leaps at Tucker.

Tucker let's go with his right hand, catches the Dark Form by the throat.  Dark Form's head is rammed, repeatedly, against the roof. 

TUCKER
			You like that, you mother 
			fucker! 

EXT. FUEL TRUCK / TOP OF TANK

Caldwell looks up.

EXT. FOREST TREE TOPS

Lights move along with the black object above.

EXT. ACCESS ROAD

More light fills the access road as the black object floats across.

EXT. FUEL TRUCK / TOP OF TANK 

Caldwell pulls the pin on a white phosphorous grenade.

CALDWELL
			Come on, come on!

Caldwell lets the spoon spring off the grenade, sets it down on the top of the fuel tank. 

INT. FUEL TRUCK CAB

Dark Form slaps Tucker's hand away from it's throat, and kicks Tucker's legs out the doorway.

Tucker is unable to hold on and falls into the gorge. 

EXT. GORGE WALL

Kurt and Jo Ann continue to make their way down.  

Tucker drops past them.

Jo Ann turns her head. 

JO ANN
			My God, what was that? 

Kurt continues to climb. 

EXT. FUEL TRUCK / TOP OF TANK 

The white phosphorous grenade pops into a small star burst.

Dark Forms climb the sides of the truck.  Caldwell fires at them. 

Kong, Hank's cane clutched in his teeth, bounds up over the side of the tank.  He leaps at Caldwell, knocks him off the tank and into the gorge. 

INT. FUEL TRUCK

Dark Form climbs to the passenger door and is instantly vaporized in a blinding flash. 

EXT. GORGE WALL

Kurt hugs the rock wall.  Caldwell and Kong fall past in the light of the explosion. 

Flaming debris rains down around Kurt and Jo Ann.

EXT. ACCESS ROAD

The black object above the tees is rocked to the left and driven down into the trees where it explodes. 

EXT. DEEP FOREST – SUNRISE

Rays of sun shine sparkle across moisture covered vegetation.

Three cables suspend Harrison, Dean, and Temple, bound and hung up side down.  Temple's face is covered in dried blood.   

Dean's eyes open and scan the area.  A blond, human looking male, wearing over sized sunglasses walks straight to Dean.

Dean's eyes widen at the sight of the male.
He stops and kneels on one knee in front of Dean.  

DEAN
			God, I am so glad to see you.
			Get me down. 

Blond tilts his head, no expression.

Dean's face shows fear. 

DEAN
			Who are you? What are you 
			doing here?

Blond reaches up and removes the sunglasses, revealing giant, blue eyes, with thick, coarse hair around the eye lids.  He pulls out a blade like weapon and reaches for Dean. 

EXT. FOREST / TREE TOPS – DAY BREAK

The sun is fully up.  The forest is silent but for the screams of Dean.
EXT. GORGE WALL – MORNING

Kurt climbs up the rock face.  

Jo Ann looks up from below, she sees Kurt climb into the sunlight at the top of the rock face and out of view. 

Jo Ann continues to climb, she looks over her shoulder. 

EXT. ACCESS ROAD / FAR SIDE OF GORGE

Remnants of the fuel truck smolder.  Beyond, the forest is blackened.  The black object lays unmoving in the forest.  A Dark Form steps into view, looks back at Jo Ann. 

EXT. GORGE WALL

Jo Ann, startled, quickens her pace.  Her left hand probes for a hold on the top edge. 

Jo Ann looks up.  ANIMAL GROWLS  A struggle sounds from above.  Jo Ann's right hand grabs the top edge as her feet break away loose rocks.  She tries to look down. 

JO ANN
			Kurt, help!  I'm slipping!  

CRUNCH, CRUNCH  Jo Ann's face shows panic as foot steps approach the edge above her. 

Foot steps stops.

Jo Ann looks up and gasps.  Jo Ann's hand begins to slip.

Dark Form HAND snatches Jo Ann's left wrist just as the finger tips let go. 

Jo Ann is hauled over the edge and dragged by her toes several few feet from the precipice.  Her face is pulled close to the Dark Form's, her nose almost touching the two slits above it's mouth. 

Dark Form sniffs, it's face wrinkles. Jo Ann recoils in terror and disgust.  She tries to break free.

Dark Form holds Jo Ann by the shirt with it's left hand. 

Jo Ann panicked, wildly flails her arms. 
Dark Form's right hand, holding a metal object, raises above shoulder level.  It's body shifts to bring the arm down with great force.

Tucker's HAND  stops the Dark Form's arm, by grabbing the wrist. 

Tucker's  face battered and bloody, sneers down at the Dark Form. 

Dark Form hisses at Tucker. 

TUCKER
			Easy now, Dick Weed.

Jo Ann's face washes with relief. 

JO ANN
			You're alive! 

Tucker hits the Dark Form in the face with it's own hand and metal object.  It's head rocks back and it let's go of Jo Ann.  

Jo Ann falls to the ground. 

Tucker makes the Dark Form hit itself again. Dark fluid begins to leak from wounds on it's face. 

TUCKER
			What did you hit yourself 
			for, dumb ass?

Kurt, swings Hank's cane at a Dark Form's midsection, folds it in half.  Kong grabs the Dark Form, mauls it to the ground. 

Kong looks up and runs. 

Caldwell fires, point blank, at several Dark Forms. 

Tucker holds the Dark Form at arms length and cocks back his other arm. 

Kong leaps at the Dark Form, clamps his jaws around the back of it's neck, yanks it from Tucker's grip.  Dark Form is killed by Kong violently shaking it by the neck. 

Kurt runs for Jo Ann, tosses Hank's cane aside.

Jo Ann looks across the gorge.

EXT. GORGE / FAR SIDE

Dozens of Dark Forms walk briskly to the edge of the gorge.  Several others are already making their way down the rock face.

EXT. ACCESS ROAD. 

Kurt helps Jo Ann to her feet.  She points. Kong scoops up Hank's cane from where it was dropped. 

JO ANN
			We're not going to make it!  

Kurt looks to where Jo Ann points.  Disregards it, then pulls Jo Ann away. 

EXT. SKY OVER PARCEL 100589-B – DAY

Smoke raises over a large section of forest.  Vast sections are in flames. 

North East Lumber Company Helicopter swings into view.

INT. HELICOPTER

Billy looks over at Hank as he points down.  Billy nods.

EXT. ACCESS ROAD

Helicopter sounds in the distance. Kurt looks up, he smiles and pulls Jo Ann close to him.
 
KURT
			Look, look. 

Jo Ann smiles, hugs Kurt.  He kisses her. 

Tucker frowns at Kurt and Jo Ann.

TUCKER
			Have I got to spray you two 
			with cold water?

BANG BANG  Rifle fire startles Kurt and Jo Ann to reality.

Dark Forms are climbing up over the edge.  Caldwell continues to fire at them.

Everyone runs to the only location open enough for the helicopter to land. 

Caldwell covers Tucker as he stops to roll a grenade at the Dark Forms, then turns and runs. 

INT/EXT. HELICOPTER

Grenade explodes amongst several Dark Forms, killing and injuring many of them. 

Billy fights to control the helicopter as the blast rocks it.  Shrapnel pelts the windows.    

EXT. HELICOPTER 

Shrapnel penetrates the side of the helicopter, oil spills from the hole. 

INT. HELICOPTER

Hank holds on, watches below.

HANK
			What the hell are those things? 

BILLY
			Where the hell is everybody 
			else?

EXT. ACCESS ROAD

Helicopter rolls in and hits the ground too hard. 

Kurt runs to the helicopter, yanks open the rear door, and pauses. 

INT. HELICOPTER / BACK COMPARTMENT

There is room for only two passengers.

EXT. HELICOPTER.

Kurt holds the door open, dumbfounded. 

KURT
			What the fuck is this, Billy?

Billy yanks his head phones off, looks back at Kurt.

BILLY
			I can only take two of you.  

TUCKER
			How about two of them, you 
			fucker?

Tucker points a thumb a the Dark Forms behind him.  

HANK
			What the hell is this? 

BILLY
			Well, we can jam the four of you 
			in, but we won't get far. 

Caldwell continues to fire bullets and lob grenades.  He works his way around to Billy's side of the helicopter. 

TUCKER
			We got to take Kong too.

Kong pants, Hank's cane still in his mouth. 

BILLY
			We're not taking the God damned 
			dog!  Now get in.  We'll come 
			back for him.  

KURT
			We ain't coming back.

The barrel of Caldwell's rifle presses against Billy's face.

CALDWELL
			You're going to take that dog 
			or I'll blow your brains out 
			and fly this thing myself.    

Billy smiles, rolls his eyes to look at Caldwell. 

BILLY
			Hey, you like that dog? 

CALDWELL
			He saved my life, now I'm 
			saving his.  Get them out of 
			here, I'll cover you. 

Jo Ann climbs into the back, she looks at Caldwell.

JO ANN
			You'll be killed. 

CALDWELL
			Go! 

Caldwell looks at Kurt, then Tucker. 

CALDWELL
			That means all of you. 

Kurt tries to protest, is cut off. 

CALDWELL
			No time to argue.  

Kurt nods an agreement.

Tucker is angry.

TUCKER
			You better make it. I'm 
			still gonna kick your ass.  

Caldwell, a slight smile cuts his lips, he nods a bit. 

Tucker breaks out in a big laugh.

Kong, Hank's cane still in his teeth, scratches at Hank's door with his front paws.

Hank swings the door open. Kong drops the cane on Hank's lap.  Hank looks the dog over, frowns and gently pats him on the head.  

HANK
			What did they do to my boy? 

Jo Ann leans forward.

JO ANN
			You were right, Hank, we wouldn't 
			have made it with out him. 

Hank smiles at Kong. 

HANK
			You're a good boy, aren't you.   

Kurt leads Kong to the back door.  

KURT
			Get in there.

Kong climbs in with great effort.  Kurt has to help him. The dog whines in pain.

KURT
			It's all right, boy. We're 
			almost home. 

Caldwell resumes fire at the approach of the Dark Forms. He secures the door behind Tucker. 

INT. HELICOPTER

Billy works the controls.

Kurt watches Caldwell, he turns to Tucker.

KURT
			I'm gonna miss that guy.

EXT. ACCESS ROAD

Helicopter lifts off and flies over Caldwell.  He reloads the rifle.

INT/EXT. HELICOPTER

Hank watches Caldwell shoot and fight hand to hand with Dark Forms. 

HANK
			Who is that?  

Kurt and Tucker say nothing, they only watch helplessly. 

EXT. SKY - DAY

A dozen marine transports helicopters and gunships approach the gorge. 

INT. COMMAND HELICOPTER/COCKPIT

Pilot looks down at the North East Lumber Company Helicopter lift off and Caldwell in a fight for his life. 

PILOT
			Colonel Hernandez, I have a 
			visual.  We can confirm the 
			Satellite images, sir. 

INT. COMMAND HELICOPTER/CARGO COMPARTMENT

Hernandez steps up next to the crew chief at the side hatch. He looks out. 

HERNANDEZ
			Pilot, tell my gunships to lay 
			a base of fire around that man. 
			And get me on the deck now!

Hernandez turns to the Marines riding in the helicopter  with him.  

HERNANDEZ
			Lock and load. 

EXT. SKY

GUNSHIPS bank and line up to attack.

INT. COMMAND HELICOPTER/CARGO COMPARTMENT

Hernandez looks back out the hatch briefly. 

EXT. ACCESS ROAD

Dark Forms fall to the gunfire around Caldwell.

INT. COMMAND HELICOPTER/CARGO COMPARTMENT

HERNANDEZ
			And fix bayonets, too.

Marines load weapons, fix bayonets. 

INT. NORTH EAST HELICOPTER

INSTRUMENT PANEL  Red warning light flashes up at Billy. 

BILLY
			Oh, we're in it now.  

Kurt sees the gunships swoop down, turns to Billy. 

KURT
			Billy, bring me back down!

BILLY
			No choice, Kurt. We're going 
			down anyway.   

Billy struggles with the controls.

EXT. FOREST

North East Helicopter lands amongst the trees. Every one quickly gets out. 

EXT. ACCESS ROAD

Marine Command helicopter lands, Marines run out. 

Hernandez exits and heads for the crashed helicopter, waves Kurt to the empty command helicopter. 

HERNANDEZ
			Move!  Move!  Move!  

Kurt and Tucker carry Kong.

Hernandez and a Navy corpsman follow Kurt and Tucker on to the command Helicopter.

INT. COMMAND HELICOPTER/CARGO COMPARTMENT

Kong is set on the floor. Blood bubbles from his mouth as he thrashes in pain.  Kurt tries to comfort him. 

KURT
			I'm here, Sir.  I'm here.

Kurt strokes the dog's head.

Hernandez watches Kong and Kurt.

EXT. ACCESS ROAD

Caldwell's weapon clicks empty.  A marines runs up and hands Caldwell a rifle and draws a pistol. 

INT. COMMAND HELICOPTER/CARGO COMPARTMENT

Hernandez kneels down next to Kurt.

HERNANDEZ
			What happened to him? 

Kurt does not look away form Kong.

KURT
			He kept fighting those things 
			even after they were killing him. 

HERNANDEZ looks up.

HERNANDEZ
			Doc... 

CORPSMAN steps forward and kneels with Hernandez.  

HERNANDEZ
			...You take care of this dog.  
			You understand me!

DOC
			Yes, sir.

DOC begins working on Kong.  

Hernandez looks up at the Crew Chief as he stands and heads for the cargo hatch. 

HERNANDEZ
			Get this bird out of here. 

EXT. ACCESS ROAD
Command Helicopter lifts off.

Hernandez joins Caldwell in the fight with the growing number of Dark Forms. 

HERNANDEZ
			You O.K., Captain Caldwell?

Caldwell looks around and up at the command chopper flying off.  More choppers land, Marines run out to join the battle.

CALDWELL
			I am now, Sir. 

GUNNY struggles, hand to hand, with a Dark Form.  Hernandez watches. 

HERNANDEZ
			Gunnery Sergeant, do you need a 
			tube of cock cream to rub on 
			that clitoris you've grown? Kill 
			that fucking thing and get over 
			here.

GUNNY
			Aye, aye, sir.

Gunny pulls a K-bar knife and plunges it into the Dark Form's throat. 

Hernandez, a pair of pistols in hand, fires at approaching Dark Forms.  

HENANDEZ
			Tough little bastards, aren't 
			they.

CALDWELL
			This is going to change a lot 
			of things, Colonel.
 
INT. COMMAND HELICOPTER

Doc works on Kong.

Kurt  his arm around Jo Ann, pulls her close to him, leans back and closes his eyes. 

FADE OUT.