James - Way Down We Go Episode 1 by Eli FADE IN: DON (O.S.) RPG GET DOWN! An explosion, then a metallic thud. A Cruel Angel's Thesis begins to play. BEGIN MONTAGE SUPERIMPOSE: JAMES The tired faces of Parks, James, and Don appear. Don reaches out for Jackie's hand, James reaches out for a hand, and Parks reaches out for Elena. INT. MILITARY BARRACKS - DAY James holds a wiffle ball bat and points at a PRIVATE STEVENS, (19). He says some words. Stevens's hands shake as he takes a penny out of his pocket and gives it to him. James takes it and leaves. FADE TO BLACK. EXT. AFGHAN VILLAGE - DAY Don, James, and Nick patrol a village with a squad of British soldiers. They take fire as the group takes cover. An A-10 flies overhead and lights up the village in front of them. CUT TO: The group walk forward as women make a slow walk out of their hamlets, holding their children in hand. Don looks at one, and sees a grenade in her hand. He points his rifle at her and pulls the trigger. Matthews stands near the group and wears a tan plate carrier with jeans and a pair of hiking boots. The look in Don's eyes is that of determination, with the bags in his eyes growing wider. The group moves on. James takes the lead in front of him as Don allows his rifle to dangle from a sling as he watches the group. A lady pulls out a hand grenade- A flash of white. EXT. MILITARY BASE - NIGHT Parks fires a machine gun into a pickup truck. It explodes and lights up the night. The exhaustion in Parks's eyes grows larger. A picture of Elena and him sticks out of his vest. Matthews glows in the dark behind Parks. SUPERIMPOSE: Project Phoenix James loads a mortar tube. SUPERIMPOSE: War criminals? END MONTAGE DON (O.S.) O'Reilly- FUCK! Gunshots ring out, rounds crack overhead. EXT. MOUNTAIN ROAD - DAY Don makes his way over. He has a fox tail. James's eyes widen as he looks up. Don has a fox tail and ears. The world looks different, colors pop around him out around him. JAMES DOC! OH GOD, FUCK! DOC! James's eyes widen. He looks into Don's eyes. Don wraps his head with a bandage. He looks down at his hands, opens, then closes them. DON Look at me, look at me! Don taps the side of his face. JAMES YOU HAVE A FUCKING TAIL! Don looks behind him and smacks James with his fox tail. James screams. DON It's okay, it's okay! Get back in the fight! Don looks behind him at Parks. DON (CONT’D) GET ME A FUCKING BACKBOARD! He turns around as Diaz takes aim with an M4. Diaz shakes as he puts the rifle down and opens the driver's side door. Don turns away from James. James stands up and in a dizzy haze starts to stock of where he is. He looks down at his hands. Another dead soldier lays on the ground with a heavy pack. A round penetrated through the top of his helmet. JAMES (thinking) I'm in a fucking anime. James takes a moment, his hands shake. James looks down at himself. He looks at the half assembled mortar tube and starts to set it back up. James's hands shake. Don pulls another wounded soldier past him. Don runs past him once again, then runs back. He carries another soldier. Don stops next to James and picks up a rifle on the ground. He peers out of cover and starts to take controlled shots at the insurgents in the distance. DON WILL YOU FUCKERS JUST STOP SHOOTING AT US?! JAMES IS THAT EVERYONE?! Two pickup trucks appear in the distance. Don looks off to his side. DON O'REILLY, TWO CLOSING IN! 400! Don takes his rifle and starts to fire at the truck. The rounds impact through the windshield. The driver turns his DSHK machine gun and begins to fire at the two. James adjusts the mortar tube. Machine gunners sit in the back of trucks. The empty line of armored vehicles in front of the group. James gets behind the MRAP. Don drops to his stomach as rounds pass his head. James looks at Don on the ground. JAMES Oh, fuck. James looks behind him and takes a mortar round. He grabs one. JAMES (CONT’D) SECTION, HE QUICK TWO ROUNDS, ADJUST! He loads one, then another. The trucks come closer. Don crawls behind the MRAP and sits next to the mortar tube. JAMES (CONT’D) How many you got left? Don's hands shake. DON I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T KNOW MAN! Don peers back out. His fox ears lower themselves as his tail stops and stiffens up. DON (CONT’D) I think I got all of 'em! Don peers back out. Two soldiers limp toward the pair. One wears a blindfold, the other walks with a limp. Don reaches out for the one with the blindfold- An explosion rings out. The two are gone. DON (CONT’D) They were just there. They were just there! James pulls Don away. Behind them, armored vehicles with Afghan Army soldiers start to load up the wounded. The two begin to retreat. Don vomits as he runs off. FADE TO BLACK.