EXT. A NARROW ROAD/ALLEY -- SAIGON -- NIGHT
It's just an hour later and Barter is maneuvering the Jeep through a tight backstreet that's bordered by three- and four-story buildings. Numerous dirt alleys shoot off this backstreet, leading to night terrors.
Barter is enthralled by the newfound wilderness of this city. He drives slowly, watching everything around him. Wilcox slumps in his seat, given over to sleep, his 716th MP brightly painted helmet liner on his lap.
Barter crosses an alleyway and looks into its mouth.
The SOUND OF A SHOT rings out and a HISS-NOISE passes by Barter's face. He pulls back from the sudden sound, stops the Jeep at the mouth of the alley, and begins to look around, reaching for his rifle at the same time.
Wilcox ROARS AWAKE WITH A LOUD GROWL and immediately slams the gearshift into first and at the same time crashes his foot on top of the accelerator, smashing Barter's foot hard on top of the pedal.
The Jeep skitters uncontrolled down the backstreet, away from the alley. Barter turns in his seat and quickly regains control of the Jeep and brings it to a quick stop by using the kill switch on the "dash."
Wilcox leaps out of his seat and races around the front of the Jeep to stand in front of Barter and rage at him.
WILCOX (screaming) Goddam it, Barter! I told you never to stop when trouble begins. A bullet qualifies as fuckin' trouble! Can you remember that?
Barter's slumped over the wheel, looking straight ahead, and angry with himself.
BARTER Yeah, I can remember that.
Wilcox takes a moment to pull back and look around. As he begins to realize where he is, he becomes even more furious and out of control. He reaches over and pulls a map out of the area between the seats. He finds a red-circled spot on the map and points at it, and then he throws the map into Barter's face.
Barter leaps out of the Jeep, ready to rush Wilcox. Wilcox crouches and begs him by motions to come at him. Barter takes a deep breath and slows down.
WILCOX (screaming) What the hell are we doing in the red area? I go to all the trouble of circling this point on the map, and coloring the damned thing in without ever going outside the lines, and we end up here anyway!
Wilcox paces wildly, making GRUNTING NOISES.
WILCOX (cont.) Can't you read a fucking map? I told you ... no, I showed you this place on the map when I colored it for you! I told you this was a no-no!
BARTER (amazed, stunned) They shot at us, Wilcox. God ... that's weird. I'm shaking. Look at my hands.
Barter gets out of the jeep to show his hands to Wilcox.
WILCOX I will not look at your hands, you fuckin' yo-yo!
BARTER (soft, stunned) I just wanted to know what we were staying away from.
WILCOX Snipers! That's what the fuck we're staying away from, you idiot.
BARTER I thought we were supposed to find the V. C.
WILCOX
And what? Kiss 'em?
BARTER No. Kill them.
WILCOX It doesn't work that way! Okay? There's are places in this city that belong to the V.C., you understand? I don't know who made the rules, but that's the way it is. We don't fuck with them, they don't fuck with us. Everyone lives.
Wilcox pulls back and paces madly.
WILCOX (cont.) This whole thing is crazy. I've talked to other MPs about it, but they don't see it my way. Me ... I figure we got an agreement to let this city and the country go on over to the V.C. 'an North Vietnamese when we leave. An' we're leavin' soon Barter. So we give 'em part of the city now to keep 'em from killing too many of us before we leave. Keep the public relations problem down, you know.
(pause, thinking) But they tried to kill you tonight. Why? Why did they try to take you out? We gotta figure that out.
BARTER (still stunned) They coulda' been trying to kill you.
WILCOX Wishful thinking, New Guy. This sombitch wants to kill you. I've been down this alley before with a buncha' partners. Testin' my theory. Nothin'. But the first time I take it with you, we feel bullets slick by. You been in-country for three days, and you already pissed someone off. Man, I wish I had your talent. I'm so scared of dyin' from boredom in my old age.
BARTER Aw, c'mon, man. You're talkin' crazy. There's no reason ...
WILCOX (interrupting) There's a woman here, Barter. Her name's Minh. She has the second sight. She knows the future. We have to see her.
BARTER (furious) Where the fuck are you coming from, man? I expect this kinda crap off someone back in The World smokin' bad shit.
WILCOX This ain't The World, man. Three days ago, you stepped into someplace else. Yeah, someplace else. An' after you spend time here like I have, you begin to see that things are connected.
(pause) You're a target, man. For some reason, that guy wants to take you out.
BARTER Fuck you, man. I'm not playing this game.
WILCOX You gotta. 'Cause the game's bigger than you can think about. Bigger than people like you can understand. You ain't seen death really come down enough so you think it can't happen to you. You think you can go hunt down that guy in that alley and win, don't you?
BARTER (uncomfortable) That's fuckin' crazy.
WILCOX You bet it is. Listen, when you go trying to kill someone, there's a good chance they might kill you instead. Now, I know I told you not to think about anything over here, but I want you to understand one thing deep inside yourself ... people like you and me die here. This is not some one-sided TV game like Palladin where the other guy always croaks.
(pause) I know you came here looking for answers, man. But you better get this straight ... from now on, you never go looking for them with me in the driver's seat.
BARTER (realizing) That guy in the alley ... you're saying he's meant to kill me.
WILCOX You got it.
BARTER There's something inside him that says he has to kill me? Me.
(pause) Wilcox ...
WILCOX Yeah?
BARTER You're telling me I have to kill him?
(Wilcox grunts)
I think I'm beginning to understand ... either you're crazy, or there's no choice in this thing we're doing here.
WILCOX (panicked) Shut the fuck up and stop talkin' like that! You can ignore the sombitch, after all, you understand?!
BARTER With you sending me all these signals I've got this doppleganger out there?
WILCOX
Dopple-what-the-fuck?
BARTER
Doppleganger. The idea that we each have a double. I'm here to understand this motherfucker. Here to kill, aren't I? And you telling me I have to ignore it all? I can't do that.
In that room in that alley ... every answer's up there, isn't it? Man, the biggest thing in me right now is I want to go back there. Take a couple beers along ... talk some. Find a way out of killing.
WILCOX Or maybe put a bullet into his head while he's listening to your crap.
BARTER Yeah. Maybe that.
WILCOX You're gettin' spooky, Barter. Forget what I said, there's no connection here. You and that sniper, it's just an accident, okay?
BARTER (soft) When do we see that woman you were talking about? Minh.
WILCOX (giving up) Let me set it up. Meanwhile, you promise me you stay away from this place.
BARTER If I can, Wilcox. Yeah, if I can.
EXT. THE MP BARRACKS COMPOUND -- NIGHT
Barter has just turned in his weapons to the company armorer. Wilcox waits for him. Barter joins Wilcox and they make a slow walk to their barracks.
WILCOX After you've been here a while, you're going to start feeling naked without a gun on you. You want a private piece, you come see me.
BARTER You got one yourself?
WILCOX I sleep with it.
BARTER Sounds paranoid. No thanks.
WILCOX Okay. You want to stop by my bunk for a beer?
BARTER Thanks ... but I'll pass. Think I'd like to take a walk around the area. Clear the head.
WILCOX
Later, then. And Wilcox enters the barracks. Barter begins a slow amble toward the high wire fence containing the side of the compound next to the golf course.
EXT. THE COMPOUND FENCE
It's very dark. Barter walks by a large wooden lookout tower. MANY VOICES COME SOFTLY IN WHISPERS from the tower. Barter walks over to the bottom center of the tower where the access ladder is and begins climbing up.
INT. THE LOOKOUT TOWER
Barter's head pops through the center of the floor of the tower. An assortment of M-16 rifles, M-79 grenade launchers, and one very large custom knife are pointed at his head. It's too dark to see individual faces.
VOICE 1 It's the new guy. Bobber.
BARTER (shaken) The name's Barter.
VOICE 2
Arguing with us already. Bad attitude. I say we kill him.
BARTER Uh ... I can just leave ...
VOICE 1 You know, Bobber, the first night of Tet, the VC came in waves across that golf course right next to us here. Got into the compound. Killed MPs in their sleep. Killed the guys in this tower.
VOICE 2 'Cause they was sleepin'.
VOICE 1 We don't sleep here, Bobber. Never. We been awake since we landed.
VOICE 2 Bobber, you do acid?
BARTER You mean LSD, as contrasted to battery acid?
VOICE 2 This new guy's really got an attitude. I really think we ought to kill him.
The MP Voice 1 lights a cigarette and lets the light from the Zippo lighter continue, showing the eight other MPs in the tower. All of them are heavily armed with bandoliers of ammunition strapped across their chests. Their MP armbands with the black background and white MP letters show brilliantly against the dim light.
VOICE 1 Do we let you live, Bobber?
BARTER You guys are doing acid up here?
VOICE 1 Yeah. You wanna' join us? Gotta get your own guns, though. We ain't sharin' weapons.
Barter begins backing down the ladder.
VOICE 2 (O.S.) Hey, was that new guy, Bobber, just here?
VOICE 1 (O.S.) Hey, Bobber!
BARTER Yeah.
VOICE 1 (O.S.) If you change your mind and come back ...
BARTER Yeah?
VOICE 1 ... bring more ammo.