"I C E B A B Y"

Written by

Michael Steven Gregory

WGA Registered

E-mail: msg@RandomCove.com
FADE IN:

EXT. THE SETTING SUN

slung low along the horizon parting Pacific ocean from sky
to wash the heavens in roiling phantasmagoria. MUSIC UP:
The Rolling Stones' Gimme Shelter over and under --

INT. BORDER PATROL LOCKER ROOM - A LEATHER BELT

strapped around a man's waist, buckle gleaming.

A BULLET-PROOF VEST

slipped on, zipped tight.

AN AMMO CLIP

snapped into the blue steel of a polished .45. Holstered.

EXT. NORTH OF THE LINE - A CAR

pulls to a stop--urgent. Another one in beside it.

INT. CAR - GEAR SHIFT

jammed into PARK.

EXT. CAR - THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR

swings open and someone steps out clad in denim and new
leather sneakers.

THE SETTING SUN

bleeds lower into a horizon of jagged rock formations on

which a small pick-up truck is silhouetted. A MAN surveys
the terrain through a large telescope mounted on its bed.

EXT. SOUTH OF THE LINE - MOVING FAST

with several frayed huaraches and tattered canvas shoes donned

by a THRONG OF PEOPLE pushing forward.

A LARGE ROCK

is swept up from the ground.

A YOUNG BOY'S EYES

open wide, excited. Focused clearly on --

THE SETTING SUN

near completely over the horizon as dust spirals upward.

 2.

EXT. SOUTH OF THE LINE - THE THRONG OF PEOPLE

come to a restless stop, pressed together, bodies rocking.

Waiting...

EXT. HOLE IN THE FENCE - THE GATE KEEPER

A kind of shaman, he squats in shadow. What can be seen of

his face is ancient. He bobs his head rhythmically, chanting
as --

THE SETTING SUN

sinks lower.

EXT. NORTH OF THE LINE - AMERICANS

Blue collar, white collar, hardhats and suits, gathered

anxious in the waning day. Some carry picket signs that
read: CLOSE OUR BORDER! And all are waiting...

INT. BORDER PATROL LOCKER ROOM - A LEATHER GLOVE

is pulled onto a man's hand.

A WIDE-BRIMMED HAT

fitted neatly on his head. There is an insignia emblazoned

across its brow: The United States Border Patrol.

EXT. STATION - A SMOLDERING CIGARETTE

is crushed out by a worn leather boot that steps onto the

strut of a helicopter and into its cockpit.

HELICOPTER ROTOR

whines to life as --

CAN OF BEER

is opened and guzzled by someone. A voice warbles loud from

a speaker somewhere on which, at last --

THE SETTING SUN

vanishes over the horizon and nightfall veils the land.

AN AMERICAN MAN

leaps up and shouts:

WHITE MAN
AMERICA FIRST!!!

The clamor of crowd as --

 3.

EXT. "LIGHT UP" DEMONSTRATION - NIGHT - MOVING BACK FAST

Headlamps ignite in rapid succession--one after the other on

a line of vehicles parked side by side as --

THE HELICOPTER'S SPOTLIGHT

blazes white and the machine lifts to the sky.

INT. HELICOPTER - NIGHT

The PILOT works its controls as --

HELICOPTER'S POV

We pitch and move low as the chopper's fierce spotlight jabs

at earth to reveal in fleeting rushes:

-- THE U.S. POINT OF ENTRY - Eight lanes of traffic tangled

in a queue beneath glaring floodlamps.

-- RANCHEETOS, the digs of squalor and scavengers--tiny shacks

without electricity that spot the torrid badlands.

-- THE PACIFIC OCEAN stretching to infinity beyond the barren

moonscape of Otay Mesa where --

-- "LIGHT UP THE BORDER" Demonstrators rally in protest.

Their parked cars cast headlight enfilade south across the
walled line that separates them from --

-- MEXICAN NATIONALS - equal in number, they raise their

fists and bark defiance at their American counterparts.
Some even hurtle rocks across the line.

SUBTITLE READS: SAN YSIDRO INTERNATIONAL BORDER CROSSING

BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND MEXICO. 1987.

The demonstration labors toward melee as we sweep over, past

and into the gathering dark full of scraggy hills and
motionful gullies where --

EXT. HOLE IN THE FENCE - NIGHT - THE HELICOPTER

flies over and is gone.

MOTHER (V.O.)
(in Spanish)
Chopi, they'll see you!

THE BOY - CHOPI

An 11-year-old Mexican with a painted butterfly talisman

around his neck ducks to where his MOTHER and a half-dozen
others wait. Some carry knapsacks. Most only the clothes
on their back.
 4.

A PREGNANT WOMAN is comforted by her HUSBAND as all eyes

focus on their "COYOTE." He moves to the fence hole where
the ancient "Gate Keeper" sits gnawing on a piece of chicken,
chanting ill-bode.

COYOTE
Now! We must hurry.

Everyone moves and Chopi goes to lead the pack. Mother nabs
his sleeve, halting --

MOTHER
Chopi...

A sheepish grin from the boy, obviously quite excited about

the journey. They fall in behind the others to climb through
the hole and into America as --

FLESHY CHICKEN BONES

land at Chopi's feet.

BACK TO SCENE

Chopi stops, startled.

GATE KEEPER
The North is where demons feed.
Hide and they will find you. There
are demons in the North!

The Gate Keeper cackles and Chopi's Mother gets spooked. As

fireworks burst somewhere overhead she pushes her son onward
through the fence, when --

Coyote stops Mother, takes hold of her elaborately embroi-

dered tejido (shoulder bag).

COYOTE
This is what you must do for me to
guide you and your boy North.

He pulls a bundle from his jacket wrapped in brown paper

secured by twine, not much larger than a brick.

ON CHOPI

He turns to find his Mother and the Coyote crouched some

yards back. He can not see what they're doing.

COYOTE AND MOTHER

COYOTE (CONT'D)
(over protest)
-- It is the only way! Do you
understand?
 5.

MOTHER
...Si.

Coyote indiscriminately removes contents from the tejido

until his bundle fits snugly. Mother goes to retrieve her
belongings --

COYOTE
Leave it!

She obeys and follows after him to join Chopi and the others
as the Gate Keeper's CACKLE chills the night.

GATE KEEPER
Hide and they will find you!

EXT. DEMONSTRATION - NIGHT - AMERICAN SIDE

where 12-packs are consumed and crushed empties litter the

land. The atmosphere is becoming one of some tail-gate party
gone mad.

INT. HELICOPTER - NIGHT

flying low to the ground and moving fast. RADIO CHATTER:

PILOT (V.O.)
-- Moving east along the lake.

INT. BORDER PATROL COMMAND CENTER - NIGHT

A narrow room with maps and monitors.

COMMAND (V.O.)
Roger that, Foxtrot. Scope's got
movement off Goat Canyon.

RADIO (V.O.)
140 here, I'll take a look.

EXT. RIDGE - NIGHT

Coyote tops it only to discover a Border Patrol round-up

directly below. Coyote bites dirt, signals the Mexicans to
remain still as --

COYOTE
La migra...

-- some rocks tumble noisily off the ridge. Coyote freezes.

THE BORDER PATROL ROUND-UP

An oasis of light spilling from vehicles where MIGRANTS are

being arrested.
 6.

Many are drenched with oily fluid. TWO AGENTS, guised head
to toe in pale green rubber suits right out of "B" movie sci-
fi, are the only ones who touch them physically. Nobody
notices the fallen rocks.

ON CHOPI

peeping over the ridge to allow him a gander. He looks down

suddenly--horrified to find --

A SCORPION

crawl onto the back of his hand.

CHOPI

He goes rigid. He can't breathe. Mere feet away, his Mother

clenches a cross in both fists, too absorbed in prayer to
notice.

THE SCORPION

remains on Chopi's hand, its lethal stinger coiled ready.

THE COYOTE

slinks away from the top of the ridge, undetected. He signals

the band into a gully.

CHOPI

Thinking, thinking, thinking--he keeps his hand flat against

the rock so's not to test the creature. With his free hand
he makes to flick it, shaking badly. Hesitant. Fingers
getting closer. Chopi makes a face, he closes his eyes.
Then--FLICK!--the critter is gone.

Before he can breathe, Chopi's Mother tugs him by the ear.

MOTHER
(in Spanish)
Quit playing!

EXT. GULLY - NIGHT - MOVING WITH

Coyote and the "Illegals" stealthily make their way, careful

to avoid a stagnant, glowing stream along the bottom. Many
now wear plastic bags over their shoes to protect their feet.
The stench makes the Pregnant Woman gag. A flare drifts
into the sky somewhere.

Nobody notices the movement sensor beacon they pass.

INT. BORDER PATROL COMMAND CENTER - NIGHT - A COMPUTER

SCREEN

flashes an alert.
 7.

COMMAND (V.O.)
We got movement off --

EXT. HELICOPTER - NIGHT

COMMAND (V.O.)
-- the channel east, in route to the
Promised Land.

PILOT (V.O.)
Roger 827.

The helicopter banks.

EXT. MESA - NIGHT

Coyote emerges from the gully, his band in tow. From this
vantage can be seen the whole of San Diego's South Bay
sprinkled with lights.

The Coyote stands fully, admiring the simple splendor of it

all as a hot gust of wind presses against his face.

COYOTE
A Santa Ana. The Devil Wind. Is
good for us.

Nods all around as Migrants sigh relief. Whereupon --

HELICOPTER'S POV

Its spotlight finds Coyote.

BEDLAM

Coyote and the Illegals react as one--scramble madly to avoid

the fierce light in a storm of dust kicked up by the rotors.

A couple of Migrants tumble into the toxic swill as Mother

and Chopi bolt for cover.

A Border Patrol landrover leaps over a hill as Mother's tejido

drops to the ground. The woman stops, twisting her ankle
and falling directly into the path of the speeding landrover --

CHOPI
Mama!

He's there--pulls her from its path, scooping up the tejido.

The rover brakes, expelling an AGENT. Coyote tries to flee

but the Agent tackles him hard. Coyote throws a frantic
look to --

MOTHER'S TEJIDO

slung over Chopi's shoulder.