ERASED

by
Mark J. Kilbane

mark@kilbanefilms.com
(443) 257-5094
Blackness. High-pitched WHINE of a helicopter.

FADE IN:

EXT. AFGHAN COUNTRYSIDE - NIGHT

Night. Sharp angles of three stealth-modified helicopters

zooming at breakneck speed over jagged Afghan terrain.

Pilots are seen in the glow of the instrument panel. They

look eerie wearing night-vision goggles.

PILOT (V.O.)
Three-Six roger. Phase line Golf,
over.

The lead copter jags, showing the belly.

INT. CHOPPER - NIGHT

Dull crimson glow. RENNY (30s) has his game face on. The butt
of his M4 machine gun sits high, framing an angled jaw, coal
eyes. Spec-ops helmet with mounted light, infrared camera.

A dozen hard men sit in the bird, none of them strangers to

the weight room. Kitted out with weapons and hi-tech gear.

Doors wide open as they fling through the black.

A co-pilot’s head pops out from the cockpit.

CO-PILOT
Six minutes!

GROUP
Six minutes!

The hand of RED (30s) is raised high across from Renny.

RED
Ren-nay! Last one, man!

Their hands smack together. Renny allows himself a grin.

A man next to Renny frowns. Shouts over rotor noise.

STEVE
Shouldn’t do that!

RED
What?
 2.

STEVE
Bad luck. And I don’t know why you
ain’t retirin’, Red. Worthless
fuck.

The men laugh.

RED
Shit, Steve. Cujo there’s got more
ball’s ‘n you.

A black shepherd sits under Steve, decked out in a tac vest

with camera. Pink tongue hanging out, loving it.

STEVE
Don’t insult Reggie here!

Steve pets his dog.

The helicopter makes a sickening swerve and CAMERA FLIES out

till the men look tiny in the open door.

INT. HELICOPTER - NIGHT

An OFFICER stands in the center of the helicopter, points to

each side door.

OFFICER
GO-GO-GO!

The men rappel down thick ropes. Renny fingers his wedding
ring under his glove, kisses it, climbs onto a fast rope.

EXT. TARGET HOUSE - NIGHT

SUPER: QALAT-E GILZAY, AFGHANISTAN, 0336 DELTA

Dust swirls as men glide effortlessly down ropes and take up

a perimeter. In seconds they’re deployed. The copter scrams.

HEAVY BREATHING as the men are in a flat sprint toward a

squat building. Overhead, men slide down ropes from a second
chopper onto the roof.

An infrared HELMET-CAM VIEW shows the scene lit up in red,

data flickering on the screen. They approach a door. A hand
comes into view, applies plastique.

A thunderous BOOM!

Smoke, and they’re

 3.

INT. TARGET HOUSE - HALLWAY - NIGHT

inside a hallway. A man pops out, AK-47 in hand.

He’s dropped in a short burst. The men fly forward.

INT. TARGET HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

A spacious room. Two women and a man. The man SHOUTS and
points a weapon. He’s blasted and the two women are
segregated. They kick open a door.

INT. TARGET HOUSE - EMPTY ROOM - NIGHT

An empty room. CRYING. Renny looks and sees a little girl in

the corner. He scoops her up and takes her back to the

LIVING ROOM

The girl’s mother cries out and they are reunited.

RED (O.C.)
Renny! Get the dog!

Renny and Steve the dog handler return to the

EMPTY ROOM

RED
Nothing in here. No doors.

RENNY
Clock is ticking.

The dog goes to the center of the room. Alerts near a carpet.

Renny yanks the carpet away. A trapdoor.

The men point weapons at the trapdoor as Renny hurls it open.

Red tosses in a flash-bang grenade. A huge BOOM, and SHOUTING

from men inside who come out, hands in the air.

RED
Let’s GO! Get out! On the ground!

Half a dozen men are flex-cuffed, face down.

Renny leads the way down a flight of stairs.

 4.

INT. TARGET HOUSE - SECRET PASSAGEWAY - NIGHT

A sinister corridor. Electric bulbs hang from the ceiling.

A man clutches an AK-47, hiding in a side passage.

Renny creeps forward, weapon at high-ready. Eyes peeled.

The hiding man CLICKS off his safety.

Renny’s head cocks to the side. He drops down low and surges
forward.

The hiding man fires -- too high. Renny puts two rounds in
his chest.

Red reaches a door at the end of the hallway.

RED
Steel. Hafta blow it.

He applies explosive.

RED
Back up.

In a cloud of smoke, the door flies open.

INT. TARGET HOUSE - COMPUTER ROOM - NIGHT

Looks like an internet cafe. A cramped room covered in wires,

desktop and laptop computers.

RENNY
Where are they?

Renny sees a door. Opens it. Red follows him inside.

INT. TARGET HOUSE - STORAGE ROOM - NIGHT

A large storage room. Satchels on the floor. Red closes the

door behind them.

RED
This is what I’m talkin’ about.

Red unzips a bag.

Cash.

RED
U.S. dollars, baby!
 5.

RENNY
Where are they? The hostages?

Red is stuffing cash into his cargo pockets.

RED
Who gives a shit.

Renny looks puzzled.

RENNY
No jackpot. Gotta phone this in.

Red grabs Renny’s throat mic.

RED
Look, it’s all good. Here. Take it.
Hundred thou.

He shoves bills into Renny’s hand.

RED
Take two, three. You’re retirin’.
Put your kids through college,
whatever.

Renny thinks it over. Hands the money back.

RENNY
I’m...not gonna do that.

Red looks disgusted.

RED
Always the Boy Scout, eh, Renny?

The officer opens the door.

RENNY
No jackpot. Must’ve moved them.

OFFICER
Outside.

They move back to the

COMPUTER ROOM

A slick man walks in, grinning, wears a different type of

military uniform.
 6.

SLICK MAN
This is it! Well done, gentlemen.
What we have been looking for!

TECHS arrive with large bags. They open them and go to work
on the computers, swapping hard drives.

RENNY
What is all this?

SLICK MAN
You’ve been of great service.

OFFICER
Exfil, now!

Red claps Renny on the shoulder.

RED
Past our pay grade, pal. Let’s
boogie. C’mon!

Renny slowly walks out to the

CORRIDOR

A blinding light from a camera crew. Renny puts his hand over
the lens and shoves the CAMERAMAN.

CAMERAMAN
Hey!

RENNY
Who let them in here?

INT. DAY ROOM - MORNING

Renny, Red, Steve, and the rest of the team hang out in a
boring day room. The men wear civilian clothes, with non-reg
haircuts, mustaches and goatees.

Obviously not regular army. They sit on a couch watching a

flatscreen. Couple guys shooting pool.

NEWSCASTER (V.O.)
...so President McCaffrey has now
fully integrated women into combat
positions, a move he describes as
another great victory for social
justice...

Red clicks off the TV.

 7.

RED
Fuck! I knew it!
(beat)
Goddam McCaffrey. Sold the country
right down the river.

STEVE
Easy, there, pal. Blow a gasket.

RED
Nah, man. It’s the fucking taxes,
pussifying the military. HATE that
fuckin’ guy. Right, Renny?

RENNY
Well. Seems like that’s why we have
elections.

Red stands, storms to the door.

RED
Shit! You’re just as bad as they
are!

RENNY
Where ya goin’?

RED
Find a way to get drunk.

A clean-cut AIDE-DE-CAMP passes Red, enters the day room.

AIDE
Renny? Old Man wants to see you.

INT. GENERAL’S OFFICE - DAY

On the way into a plush office, Renny passes the Slick Man,
wearing an expensive suit. Renny gives him a cold look.

SLICK MAN
Great work last night!

U.S. and two-star flags sit behind an ornate desk. Renny

approaches the general’s desk and stands at attention.

A silver-haired general, BURWELL (early 60s), leans back.

BURWELL
At ease, Renny. Have a seat.

Renny sits. Nods toward the door.

 8.

RENNY
Never had much time for our CIA
friends. Special Activities
Division. S.A.D.? Unfortunate
acronym.

General Burwell chuckles.

BURWELL
They have their uses.

Burwell opens a chocolate-brown dossier on his desk.

BURWELL
So. This is it.

RENNY
Yes, Sir. Hard to believe.

BURWELL
Master Sergeant Renfro Miller.
Twenty-two years service. 75th
Ranger Regiment, Special Forces
Operational Detachment Alpha,
current assignment, well, you’ve
been with the outfit, what? Six
years?

RENNY
Seven.

The general closes the personnel file. He stands. Paces.

BURWELL
You know, you’re leaving at a
critical moment. These
are...unsettling times.

RENNY
Sir?

BURWELL
McCaffrey has gutted the armed
forces, ruined our strength. This
country is on the precipice.
(beat)
I’m...searching for a few loyal
men. Patriots. You may be of more
service to me outside than in. You
follow me?

Renny smiles.
 9.

RENNY
Not sure I do, Sir. But whatever it
is, it’s a firm ‘no.’ I’ve got this
one all G-2’d out. It involves a
hammock and lemonade.

Burwell’s brow furrows. A long pause, then he forces a smile.

BURWELL
That’s what I thought you’d say.
You always were one of our
brightest, shame to lose you. The
men are having a little ‘surprise’
reception for you tonight, so you’d
better be there.

INT. NCO CLUB - EVENING

A small gathering of Renny’s teammates. Somehow they’ve

managed to find booze in the forward-deployed, dry military.

RED
So I just wanna toast to the best
operator I ever met.
(beat)
...Me.

He slams the drink. Laughter.

RED
No, we got you a little something
here, Renny.

They pass up a handsome shadow box with medals on red felt.

RED
Four Bronze Stars, three of ‘em
classified, two Silver Stars.
You’ll have trouble getting through
the metal detector. Here ya go.

Renny steps up and takes the box.

RENNY
Well...I don’t know what to say.
You guys have been my family out
here. We’ve watched each other’s
backs. Now I guess it’s time for me
to learn how to be a civilian.
It’s...been an honor, gentlemen.
 10.

INT. RENNY’S ROOM - LATE NIGHT

Renny has a cell phone to his ear. Hears the obnoxious beep.

OPERATOR (V.O.)
...the number you have reached is
out of service...

He disconnects, stares at the phone.

EXT. BAGRAM AIR BASE - CRACK OF DAWN

A lone Hummer sits in a lot. Renny jogs out to it with a

heavy duffel bag. He tosses in the bag, guns the Hummer.

RENNY
Shit! My shadow box!

He swings it back toward the billets. Parks, leaps out of the

vehicle, starts to trot when --

Time stops.

He’s airborne.

RENNY’S POV as he flies forward. The building in front of him

buckles in SLO-MO, collapses.

Sound begins. Too loud to contemplate. EAR-RUPTURING BOOM.

The ground heaves.

Windows disintegrate in a billion shards.

FADE TO WHITE:

INT. BAGRAM HOSPITAL - DAY

BEEPS of medical equipment.

RENNY’S POV of a beautiful blonde woman coming into focus.

RENNY
Wagh...

He coughs. Rough.

WOMAN
Don’t try to talk.

FADE TO BLACK.
 11.

INT. BAGRAM HOSPITAL - DAY

Renny’s eyes open. He’s suddenly aware. Tries to sit up.

RENNY
Aaah!

A beautiful DOCTOR walks in, blonde, professional.

DOCTOR
So, you’re awake.

RENNY
How...ahem! How long...?

DOCTOR
Lie back down. Take some water.

He gulps the liquid, some of it spilling down his chin.

DOCTOR
Three weeks. You’ve been hit by an
IED.

RENNY
An IED? How...am...I?

DOCTOR
If you weren’t built like a Mack
truck, I swear. It’s a miracle. It
blew all your clothes off.

She checks vitals on the monitors. Renny grins.

RENNY
Thasss some goood pain meds. You’ve
seen me naked.

DOCTOR
Sense of humor still there, good
sign. You’ll be fine with some long-
term PT. That’s physical therapy --

RENNY
Not PT-PT, I get it. Can I use a
cell phone? I need to call my wife.

DOCTOR
Wife...? I didn’t know...

Renny absently fingers for his wedding ring.

RENNY
Hey, where’s my ring?
 12.

DOCTOR
Oh, I don’t know. I’ll ask
property. Good news, you’re off to
Germany tomorrow.

EXT. RAMSTEIN AIR BASE - DAY

A lumbering C-5 Galaxy descends upon the runway.

SUPER: RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, GERMANY, 1326 ALPHA

INT. RAMSTEIN HOSPITAL - PHYSICAL THERAPY - DAY

Some amputees walk with assistance. Renny is surrounded by

staff, wearing a hospital gown, on a walking trainer.

RENNY
Been here two weeks and no phone!
Goddam it! Do you HEAR ME? I want
to call my wife! MY WIFE!

Into the room walks a dignified gentleman in a suit.

GENTLEMAN
Renny? Why don’t you come with me.

The man’s heels echo off the polished floor. They reach a
secure door and it BUZZES open. The man holds him arm out.

GENTLEMAN
Please.

Renny looks suspicious, but enters. The door CLACKS shut.

GENTLEMAN
We’ll just go in here and have a
little chat.

They enter a furnished room. The man gestures and Renny sits.

RENNY
Where’s the couch?

The gentleman sits. Doctor of Psychiatry diploma on the wall.

PSYCHIATRIST
I help people out. I heard you
shouting. Everyone did. You...claim
to have been married?

RENNY
I don’t ‘claim.’ I am married.
 13.

PSYCHIATRIST
Simply answer the questions,
please.

RENNY
Why don’t you have my records?

PSYCHIATRIST
They are mostly classified. We’ve
received no messages from any
family. Can you describe
this...wife of yours?

Renny stares.

PSYCHIATRIST
Please. Indulge me.

RENNY
She’s blonde. Gorgeous -- look, I
just want my wallet back. Where are
my personal items?

PSYCHIATRIST
I’m just helping you to recall. Has
anyone you know mentioned this
marriage to you...I mean, recently?

RENNY
You are starting to piss me off.

The psychiatrist stands and paces.

PSYCHIATRIST
The body heals -- the mind...the
mind has been through trauma.

RENNY
OK, okay. Red, he’s my buddy. He
knows me. He was handing me some
cash, said ‘This is for your
daughter’s college.’

FLASHBACK - INT. GENERAL’S OFFICE - DAY

BURWELL
...Special Forces Operational
Detachment Alpha, current
assignment, well, you’ve been with
the outfit, what? Six years?
 14.

INT. NCO CLUB - NIGHT

RENNY
You guys have been my family out
here.

INT. TARGET HOUSE - STORAGE ROOM - NIGHT

RED
Put your kids through college,
whatever.

BACK TO SCENE

PSYCHIATRIST
Money for your daughter’s college,
you say? Where is it now?

RENNY
Maybe he didn’t say...exactly that.

Renny squirms. The doctor reaches in a drawer, produces a

photograph.

PSYCHIATRIST
Your wife. Does she...look anything
like...this?

A beautiful blonde woman. Hair pulled back.

PSYCHIATRIST
She’s a physician. Stationed at
Bagram. Your doctor.

Renny’s eyes are wide.

PSYCHIATRIST
Why don’t you...stay here with us
tonight. Rest.

INT. RENNY’S WARD - LATE NIGHT

Renny lies on a bed, staring. A muscular ORDERLY makes the

rounds. BUZZES into the ward.

Renny lurches out of bed, up to the orderly, pins his arm.

RENNY
I have a scalpel. Yell and your
throat is cut.
 15.

ORDERLY
Wha...what do you want?

RENNY
Just open it.

The orderly BUZZES open the door and they exit the ward.

RENNY
Over there.

Renny points to a small room.

INT. HOSPITAL - CORRIDOR - NIGHT

Renny walks head down wearing the orderly’s clothes, badge.

INT. PROPERTY ROOM - LATE NIGHT

Renny combs through plastic bags till he finds one marked

JOHN DOE. His wallet is inside. He carefully searches the
rest of the bag. Nothing.

INT. RAMSTEIN AIRPORT PASSENGER TERMINAL - MORNING

Small but well-designed American air terminal on Ramstein Air

Base. Glass, steel. A USO, Subway. Mostly uniformed
personnel, retirees. Renny waits in one of a dozen lines.

CLERK
Morning, Sir. Passport, copies of
your orders.

RENNY
I’m traveling on my own. El Paso.

CLERK
Sure -- still need DoD ID and form
of payment.

Two men walk in. Dark sunglasses, suits. Renny looks down.

RENNY
Here.

CLERK
You know this ID expires tomorrow?
OK, El Paso, Texas. There’s a
connection in 15 minutes. Too soon?

The men in suits make a beeline for Renny.