DISSOLVE TO:
16 EXT.
ISLAND – HELICOPTER SHOT – DAY 16
Bleak, cold, isolated. Wind, snow and nothing else. We SEE movement, MOVE CLOSER, make out a
man dressed completely in white. This is SID KOPLIN, 44.
17 SINGLE ON
KOPLIN 17
He carries a small Geiger counter. As he moves near a pile of rocks, nearly snow-covered, we SEE the counter
start to jump and BUZZ. As he explores the rocky area, he probes with his axe handle, chips away at ice and
snow, we STAY WITH HIM. Counter continues to react. At last, on his hands and knees, in a protected place overhung by rocks, he finds a three-foot wide passage between two boulders. As he disappears into the
darkness we HEAR the Geiger counter CHATTER.
17A INT.
PASSAGEWAY 17A
Koplin finds a tunnel-like chute down to a lower level. He sits down and slides down the chute.
18 INT. MINE 18
Dark, tight, low ceiling. As he explores with his flashlight we SEE rough timbers shoring up the ceiling and on
the floor of the cave sections of railroad track. At last he comes to an ore car in a larger room. In the flashlight’s beam he reads . . . “Palmer and Sons – Denver, Colorado.”
On the drilling wear he reads . . . “Freeland Carde Forge and Iron Works – Pueblo, Colorado.”
On the hand tools and on a pick, he reads . . . “Scott and Killefer – Blacksmiths – Idaho Springs, Colorado.”
19 INT.
TUNNEL 19
Koplin crawls. Digs out a mineral sample, puts it in canvas bag, and keeps crawling.
20 INT.
GROTTO 20
Koplin emerges from the tunnel and stands up. Grotto floor gleams like an ice palace. In a recessed rock
wall he finds a paper packet for chewing tobacco and a folded copy of The Rocky Mountain News. As he
turns back toward grotto . . .
21 KOPLIN’S
POV 21
A shovel handle sticks up vertically from the ice floor. A wooden bar lashed across it makes a crude cross.
22 ANGLE ON
KOPLIN 22
He moves TOWARD CAMERA holding cross in f.g. He stops and looks down.
23 DOWN SHOT
– KOPLIN’S POV 23
Clearly VISIBLE THROUGH ice is the preserved body of a dead man, dressed as he was when he died, his
arms folded across his stomach, a piece of wood the size of a cedar shingle lying on his chest. Burned on the
wood . . .
HERE LIES
SGT. JAKE HOBART, UNITED ARMY
FROZE IN A STORM
On a rattle of AUTOMATIC WEAPON FIRE we . . .
CUT
TO:
24 EXT. SNOW
FIELDS – DAY 24
FULL SHOT of Koplin running.
25 SINGLE ON
KOPLIN 25
As we come in CLOSE we HEAR another burst of GUNFIRE. Koplin takes a bullet in his right shoulder
and goes to his knees. We STAY ON HIM. As he pulls himself up and staggers on, we HEAR MORE
SHOTS. And a dog BARKING.
26 SINGLE ON
DOG 26
He’s a Komondor, trained to kill, snarling and straining at his leash as he moves ahead through the snow storm, scenting blood now. We EASE BACK AND TAKE IN a Russian soldier in winter gear, controlling the dog
with one hand, holding a machine pistol in the other.
27 LOW ANGLE
ON KOPLIN 27
Losing blood and fighting the wind, he staggers ahead. While the barking is getting closer and the guard dog
gains ground on him.
27A ANGLE ON
RUSSIAN SOLDIER 27A
He fires his pistol.
27B SINGLE ON
KOPLIN 27B
A bullet tears through Koplin’s left thigh. Trying to stop the blood by pressing on the femoral artery with his
left hand, he stumbles and staggers ahead.
28 FULL SHOT 28
The Russian soldier and his dog trots ahead through the snow. And then the soldier turns the dog loose.
29 SINGLE ON
KOPLIN 29
He’s trying to keep going but he’s getting weak. He looks up in the direction of the dog’s BARKS.
29A INTERCUT: 29A
Koplin running, dog pursuing. Also the soldier.
30 KOPLIN 30
As the dog overtakes him, Koplin turns, tries to fight him off, but the dog takes him to the ground tries to get
at his throat. In b.g. soldier arrives.
31 SOLDIER’S
POV 31
Koplin struggles with the dog. Then suddenly, we HEAR the soft SOUND of a SILENCED WEAPON.
32 FULL SHOT 32
The dog drops dead on the snow beside Koplin, a bullet in its head. The soldier starts to bring his pistol
up. We HEAR another muffled pistol SHOT and a bullet explodes through his forehead. He is catapulted
backward and lies spread-eagled in the snow.
33 CLOSEUP –
KOPLIN 33
He’s mesmerized by what he’s just seen. He turns slowly, looks up and behind him, trying to stay conscious.
34 KOPLIN’S
POV – LOW ANGLE 34
A man steps forward through the snow screen, MISTING IN AND OUT OF FOCUS as Koplin tries to
see him. We COME IN TIGHT ON a WAIST SHOT of DIRK PITT, a rugged, hard-eyed man. He holds
a pistol. As Koplin loses consciousness we slowly . . .
FADE OUT:
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