VALOR

"Pilot"

Written By
Kyle Jarrow

YELLOW DRAFT

March 21, 2017

3-8-17 White Draft

3-16-17 Blue Draft
3-18-17 Pink Draft - Pages 1,2,2A,4,5,7,8,10,10A,11,11A,17,20,21,
21A,22,23,24,27,29,30,31,37,41,49,50,53,54,56
3-21-17 Yellow Draft - Pages 5,8,33,33A,51,51A

CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE
You are being given a copy of this document for a particular permitted purpose, and may only
use it for that purpose. Except as may be directly necessary to your proposed or actual
duties, you may not make physical or digital copies of this document or share a copy of it or
the contents of it (or a summary of the contents) with others. This document is protected by
the laws governing copyright and confidential information. CBS Studios Inc. (“Producer”) has
strict policies with respect to protecting our scripts, plot lines, plot twists and related
Production materials and/or information (the “Confidential Information”). Producer and the
applicable network or other exhibitor derive independent value from the Confidential
Information not being leaked in advance to the public, the media or anyone not part of the
core production team. A condition of your access to the Confidential Information is that you
must keep it confidential. It is crucial to Producer that you not make any unauthorized
disclosure, use, reproduction, sale and/or distribution of the Confidential Information.
Your failure to comply could result in court action and monetary damages.

Copyright 2017 CBS Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved.

This script is the property of CBS Studios Inc., and may not be copied or distributed without
the express written permission of CBS Studios Inc.

This copy of the script remains the property of CBS Studios Inc. It may not be sold or
transferred and it must be returned to CBS Studios Inc. promptly upon demand.

THE WRITING CREDITS MAY NOT BE FINAL AND SHOULD NOT BE USED FOR PUBLICITY OR ADVERTISING
PURPOSES WITHOUT FIRST CHECKING WITH THE TELEVISION LEGAL DEPARTMENT.
 Pink (03/18/2017) 1.

EXTENDED TEASER

1 INT. BLACK HAWK – SOMALIA – NIGHT

IN DARKNESS: the chuck-chuck-chuck of a helicopter rotor.

FADE IN on the green-lit cockpit of a Black Hawk, a high-tech

galaxy of glowing screens and gauges. In the pilot seats are
NORA MADANI (20s, intense, cleancut, not a hair out of place)
and pilot-in-command LELAND GALLO (early-to-mid 30s, scruffy,
hipster meets flyboy). They’re wearing Night Vision goggles
to navigate the pitch-black sky.

A CHYRON appears: Golis Mountains, Somalia.

The CAMERA SWOOPS to the back, where we find crew chief JIMMY
KAM, 30s, hunched in the open door, manning a mounted machine
gun. Behind him are RICHARD (C.I.A. Officer, 30s) and THREE
DELTA FORCE a.k.a. CAG OPERATORS (there’s only one whose name
we need to know: “CRANK” HENDRIX, 30s). Like the pilots,
they’re all wearing helmets with headsets. With the deafening
noise of the rotors, it’s the only way to talk. [In other
words, all dialogue in this scene is over intercom.]

At the moment, no one’s speaking. But we can feel the tension

in the air. The anticipation of an operation that’s about to
click into high gear. Then Gallo says into his headset --

GALLO
Are you living?

JIMMY
Yes.

GALLO
Have you ever dated Taylor Swift?

JIMMY
Yes. Though that doesn’t narrow it
down much.

GALLO
Okay... three more questions. Help
me out here, Madani.

Nora is eyeing a map on the console. She doesn’t look up.

NORA
He’s Jake Gyllenhaal, sir.

JIMMY GALLO
He meant help with a You hate fun, huh?
question!
Pink (03/18/2017) 2.

NORA (CONT’D)
And we just hit Checkpoint 7.
That’s two minutes to the L.Z.

GALLO
Jimbo, let the customers know.

Jimmy (nickname “Jimbo”) holds up two fingers to C.I.A.

Officer Richard.

JIMMY
Two minutes.

C.I.A. OFFICER RICHARD

(to the CAG Operators)
Touchdown in two, gentlemen.

Seems that Richard’s the one running this operation. (And if

you’re wondering why we’re not using his surname: C.I.A.
Officers have a policy of only ever providing first names.)
Up in front, the pilots are getting a burst of RADIO CHATTER.

GALLO
Command’s barking in my ear. You
have the controls.

NORA
(confirmation procedure)
I have the controls.

Gallo gets on the radio while Nora pilots. It’s a delicate

process of careful movements: one hand on the cyclic stick,
one on the collective, each foot on an anti-torque pedal.

GALLO
(into radio)
Two minutes out from the L.Z.
Everything looks clear.

It’s now that we notice something on the console in front of

Nora: a good luck charm. It’s a tiny, worn wooden TOY.
Meantime, C.I.A. Officer Richard calls to Nora over intercom.

C.I.A. OFFICER RICHARD

Hey pilot. You’re the first Special
Ops chick I ever met, so I gotta to
ask. How do you control yourself
around so many hot sweaty men?

He said it for the benefit of the CAGs and gets a few

chuckles. Nora responds, bone-dry, through her headset.
Pink (03/18/2017) 2A.

NORA
The only hard part’s the smell.
(glancing out the window)
Visual on the L.Z.

JIMMY
Clear to land!

GALLO
I have controls.

NORA
You have controls.

Gallo begins the descent. The CAGs prepare for action,

checking that their weapons are locked and loaded.
 3.

2 OMITTED

3 OMITTED

4 EXT. MOUNTAIN PLATEAU - SOMALIA - NIGHT

The Black Hawk touches ground. Richard and the CAGs pile out.
They run to the house, kick through the door, rush inside.

5 INT. BLACK HAWK – SOMALIA – NIGHT

Nora, Gallo and Jimmy wait in the helo.

JIMMY
They’ve gone silent.

It’s true. They can no longer hear the others’ radio chatter.

NORA
They went internal coms. Shut us
out.

GALLO
They can do what they want, we’re
just taxi drivers. Right Jimmy?

JIMMY
(explaining to Nora)
That’s what Jess tells the kid when
he asks what I do.

He glances at a picture taped to the wall. A PHOTO OF HIS

WIFE AND SON. This is his good luck charm.

NORA
He just had a birthday, right?

JIMMY
Yep, seven years old. Big fan of
twenty questions, by the way. I’ll
tell him to steer clear of you.

Nora cracks a smile at that. Right then, Gallo sees Richard

and the CAGs emerge from the house. They’re dragging a TALL
PRISONER, hood over his head, hands bound behind his back.

GALLO
They have the package.

Suddenly, a pair of headlights slices their faces.

Pink (03/18/2017) 4.

A PICKUP TRUCK roars out of the dark. Inside are FIVE SOMALI
INSURGENTS with a mounted machine gun and AK-47s.

NORA
Technical! 11 o’clock!

JIMMY
I’ve got no visual on the
technical!

All hell breaks loose. The Somalis start firing. Jimmy

finally gets visual on them, and blasts at them from the
Black Hawk door. Richard and the CAGs sprint toward the
helo... and one of the CAGs is hit by Somali fire. He drops.

JIMMY (CONT’D)
Man down!

GALLO
(to Nora)
You fly! I’m on radio!

Nora starts flipping switches on the console, preparing to

take off as soon as the others are back in the helo. Gallo
unbuckles his harness and swings around in his seat to get a
better view of the outside. He SHOUTS into his radio.

GALLO (CONT’D)
This is Darkhorse, we’re in a TIC,
1 technical, 6 tangos, wounded CAG!

Meanwhile, Richard and the others get the Prisoner and the
injured CAG into the Black Hawk.

C.I.A. OFFICER RICHARD GALLO

Go! Go! (into radio)
Up with four and one!

Nora pulls up on the collective stick and the helo lifts off.
The Somalis keep shooting at them, round after round.
Nora gets hit. A bullet pierces her right leg. She CRIES OUT
in pain and for a moment loses control of the helo.

It banks sharply until Gallo takes over.

GALLO (CONT’D)
I have the controls.

In back, the injured CAG Operator is in a rapidly growing

pool of blood. Everyone is yelling into the radio at once.

CRANK C.I.A. OFFICER RICHARD

He needs a tourniquet! Secure the prisoner!
Pink (03/18/2017) 4A.

GALLO JIMMY
Madani’s been hit! They’ve got an R.P.G.!
 Yellow (03/18/2017) 5.

5A EXT. SOMALI MOUNTAINS - NIGHT (FLASHBACK)

Down below, one of the Somalis is taking aim with a shoulder-

fired rocket launcher. He FIRES.

5B INT. BLACK HAWK - SOMALIA - NIGHT (FLASHBACK)

In the cacophony, Gallo didn’t hear Jimmy’s shouted warning.

JIMMY GALLO
R.P.G., four o’clock! What??

Nora heard it. And despite her wound, she grabs the cyclic.

NORA
Everyone brace.

She turns, but too late. The rocket hits them and everything
shakes like it’s the end of the world and we SMASH TO --

6 INT. NORA’S APARTMENT – FORT BENNING ARMY BASE – MORNING *

CHYRON: One month later.

Early morning light streams through the window. Nora’s eyes *

snap open. She’s in bed in her meticulously neat B.O.Q.
(Bachelor Officers Quarters) apartment. It’s 5:30 AM. She *
glances at the bed beside her. She expects someone there, but
it’s empty. As Nora slips out of the sheets, we see her bare
leg... and we see the newly-healed BULLET SCAR on it.

She reaches over to the bedside table, opens the drawer and
takes out a BOTTLE OF PRESCRIPTION PAINKILLERS. She pops one.
As she does, we notice something else on the bedside table: *
the worn wooden toy we first saw on the helo console.

Nora gets up off the bed and heads out, passing by her closet
on the way. Inside we see a DRUM KIT, surrounded by makeshift
soundproofing. Now she goes into...

7 INT. KITCHEN - NORA’S APARTMENT - ARMY BASE - MORNING

Nora’s boyfriend IAN PORTER, 20s, is in a camo uniform,

finishing a cup of coffee.

NORA
You’re up early.

IAN
I have a briefing at 0630. Gotta *
swing by my place first.
 6.

NORA
My other boyfriend always stays for
breakfast.

IAN
My other girlfriend always makes me
breakfast.

He goes to her: kisses her. For a moment, things start to get

heated. He’s the one who breaks it. Steps back, looks at her.

IAN (CONT’D)
So, first day back. You okay?

NORA
Yeah, I’m good.

But she doesn’t meet his eyes. She’s unsettled. Ian sees
that. He thinks he knows what’s on her mind.

IAN
Hey. You and Gallo did everything
you could. You followed procedure,
you tried to find the others...

NORA
I said I’m good. Okay?

She says it with a smile, trying to ease his concerns about

her. Ian doesn’t push the point.

IAN
I’ll see you at formation.

He gives her a peck goodbye, then goes. Once the door closes
behind him, Nora’s smile fades. Everything isn’t okay with
her. But exactly what’s weighing on her -- we don’t yet know.

8 INT. GALLO’S HOUSE – OFF BASE – EARLY MORNING

The polar opposite of Nora’s tidy home: a cluttered mess of a

place. DRIVING E.D.M. blasts from a stereo.

The CAMERA SWEEPS into the bedroom.

There we find Gallo having raucous sex with ANNA, 30s. He’s
handcuffed, she’s riding him cowgirl-style.

ANNA
Say it!

GALLO
Hooah!
 Pink (03/18/2017) 7.

ANNA
(it’s turning her on)
Again!

GALLO
Hooah!

Anna climaxes, rolls off. Beat.

ANNA
Is it weird I have a thing for
military calls?

GALLO
Whatever butters your biscuit.

He grins, then glances at the clock. Shocked to see the time.

GALLO (CONT’D)
Dang. I have P.T. in 15. Uncuff me?

ANNA
You’ve been drinking all night,
cowboy.

GALLO
Anyone can run 8 miles sober. The
real test is doing it drunk. Lock
the door when you go?

He just switched from sex mode to soldier mode in an instant.

Now uncuffed, he pulls on a running shirt and we CUT TO --

9 INT. SHADOW RAIDERS COMMAND CENTER – ARMY BASE – MORNING

A sign on the wall says: “186th Airborne - The Shadow

Raiders.” We enter with Ian, following him past rows of
ADMINISTRATIVE AIDES and over to his office. One of the Aides
hands him a file: the label on it says INTEL REPORT.

IAN
Thank you. Anything on the M.I.A.s?

The Aide shakes his head no. Now COLONEL ROBERT HASKINS
approaches (late 30s, commander of the Shadow Raiders). Ian
stands at attention to greet him.

IAN (CONT’D)
Morning, sir.

COLONEL ROBERT HASKINS

Hooah. I wanted to check in on
Madani. How’s she holding up?
 Yellow (03/18/2017) 8.

IAN
About the same, sir.

Seems something significant was just conveyed between them...

we’re not sure what. Now Ian holds up the intel file.

IAN (CONT’D)
And still no news on Jimmy. Or any
of the others.

COLONEL ROBERT HASKINS

(nodding soberly)
No, Lieutenant. Not a damn thing.

Off his frustrated face...

10 INT. JESS’S HOUSE - ARMY BASE - MORNING

A two-bedroom ranch home on the Army base. Here we meet JESS

(late 20s, pretty, boho-hippie style). She’s Jimmy’s wife: we
recognize her from the photo in the Black Hawk.

JESS
C’mon! You’ll miss the bus! *

Her son MAX, 7, runs in. He wears a backpack emblazoned with

a map design, and he’s belting out a song. *

MAX
Hello my baby, hello my honey, *
Hello my ragtime gal, Send me a *
kiss by wire, Baby my heart’s on *
fire... *

JESS
Little loud, sweetie. Maybe you *
could try a different song today? *

MAX
Or you could sing it with me like
Dad does.

JESS
Not in the mood. Let’s go.

MAX
When’s Dad get home from his trip?

JESS
Soon, sweetie. Soon.

It’s a lie. But the truth is too much for a seven-year-old:

his father is missing in action.
 9.

11 OMITTED

12 EXT. ARMY BASE - MORNING

Nora is on her way to work, headed across the base. She’s

wearing her camo uniform and a maroon beret. She passes some
ENLISTED MEN jogging for morning P.T. (Physical Training).
They crisply salute her as they pass.

13 EXT. SPECIAL OPS GATE - ARMY BASE - MORNING

Nora approaches the gate to the high-security sector of the

base: the Special Ops Compound. Maroon tarping covers the
tall fence, hiding it from view of the conventional forces.

Nora flashes her P.I.V. (Personal Identity Verification) card

to the M.P. positioned outside the gate. He waves her past.
She then scans the card on a keypad and punches in an eight-
digit code. The door clicks open. She pushes through.

13A EXT. SPECIAL OPS GARRISON - ARMY BASE - MORNING

Nora enters the high-tech complex of hangars, offices and

tarmac that’s home of the Shadow Raiders. She heads to...

14 EXT. SPECIAL OPS FLIGHT LINE – ARMY BASE - MORNING

The flight line is a wide stretch of runway where the unit’s

helicopters are “parked.” The entire SHADOW RAIDERS COMPANY,
numbering about 200, is assembled for morning formation.

As the camera scans the crowd, we see they’re almost all

male. Nora is one of only four women in the unit. We spot Ian
among the company. He watches as Nora makes her way to the
front, where Gallo is waiting. She salutes him.

GALLO
Last time I saw you, we both looked
a lot worse.

NORA
That may be the understatement of
the year, sir.

GALLO
You’re good? Leg healing up?

Nora nods. Seems there’s something else she wants to say to

him... but before she can, the COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR shouts.
Pink (03/18/2017) 10.

COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR

Atten-shun! Present arms! Order
arms!

COLONEL ROBERT HASKINS

Today we welcome back to duty
Captain Leland Gallo and Warrant
Officer Nora Madani. I have the
honor of presenting you both with
the Distinguished Flying Cross, for
valor and perseverance in the face
of extreme odds.

A GENERAL approaches and presents them with the medals.

COLONEL ROBERT HASKINS (CONT’D)

After your aircraft was damaged by
enemy fire, you safely evac-ed your
team before performing a high-risk
ditch maneuver. When you were then
unable to contact the others, you
deployed your wilderness survival
training until rescue was possible.
Your actions are a testament to
this unit and the entire Special
Ops community.

THE CROWD
HOOAH!

The shout sounds very impressive from 200 voices at once.

COLONEL ROBERT HASKINS

Now let’s take a moment to honor
those who remain unaccounted-for.
Sergeants Hendrix, Balewa and
Dallas of the Delta Force Combined
Applications Group; O.G.A. Operator
Richard; and our Sergeant Jimmy
Kam. Our thoughts and prayers are
with them.

COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR

Diiiiismissed!

THE CROWD
Hooah.

As the formation starts to break up, Nora turns to Gallo.

NORA
I’ve been trying to reach you.

Gallo glances around to make sure no one else is listening.

Pink (03/18/2017) 10A.

GALLO
It’s better you don’t. As long as
nothing’s changed.
 Pink (03/18/2017) 11.

NORA
No. Nothing’s changed, but...

GALLO
We got other things to think about,
alright? They’re plugging us into a
training exercise this week. N.O.E.
course, below treeline. Get stoked.

With that, he starts off. But Nora goes after him, keeping
her voice low so no one else will hear.

NORA
Sir, the decision we made was a
mistake. Ever since, it’s all I can
think about.

She has more to say, but she stops herself when she sees the
Command Sergeant Major approaching.

COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR

Gallo, Madani: the Colonel wants to
see you in his office.

Off Nora and Gallo, wondering what this is about...

15 INT. COLONEL’S OFFICE - ARMY BASE - A FEW MINUTES LATER

Nora and Gallo step in the door and stand at attention.

COLONEL ROBERT HASKINS

At ease. I’ll get right to it.
Madani, you’re being placed on
administrative duty.
(to Gallo)
You’ll fly with someone else for
the time being.

NORA
I don’t understand. You just gave
me a medal...

COLONEL ROBERT HASKINS

You’ve been through a lot. A downed
bird, then six days stuck in those
mountains. I think a break from
flying is warranted.

NORA
We both went through all that.
Pink (03/18/2017) 11A.

COLONEL ROBERT HASKINS

Captain Gallo has a lot more
experience with combat stress.
 12.

GALLO
With all due respect: she’s squared
away. There’s no reason for this.

NORA
Did I not pass my psych eval? Is
that what’s going on?

COLONEL ROBERT HASKINS

No, you passed. But there were
concerns. Anxiety about getting
back in the cockpit. And your
injury. I understand you’re still
in some pain.

NORA
I’m fine.

COLONEL ROBERT HASKINS

My decision is made. We’ll revisit
in three months.

Gallo accepts it. But Nora doesn’t. She keeps pushing.

NORA
Sir, if you would just --

COLONEL ROBERT HASKINS

Look. There’re a lot of officers in
command who think we shouldn’t have
opened combat positions to women.
Let’s not give them any fodder,
alright? You have your orders.

Though he says it with a fatherly concern, the words still

sting. Off Nora’s face, knowing this conversation is over...

16 INT. SHADOW RAIDERS COMMAND CENTER – ARMY BASE - DAY

Nora and Gallo leave the meeting. She’s crushed.

GALLO
Hey, 3 months is nothing. I’ve had
leftovers I kept longer than that.

Nora isn’t amused. And now Ian’s coming over. He saw her from
across the room, and he can tell she’s upset.

IAN
What’s going on?

NORA
I’m grounded. For three months.
 13.

IAN
Are you okay?

NORA
You know how many times you’ve
asked me that since I got back?

Bristling, she starts toward the exit.

IAN
Where’re you going?

NORA
If I’m not flying today, there’s
something else I need to do.

With that, she’s gone. Leaving Ian with Gallo -- who gives
him a can’t live with ‘em, can’t live without ‘em shrug.

17 INT. LIVING ROOM - JESS’S HOUSE - ARMY BASE - LATER

Jess is on the couch, staring dead-eyed at a KIDS’ CARTOON on

TV. Its joyful energy is in stark contrast to her grave face.
The DOORBELL rings down the hall. Jess calls out.

JESS
Come in, it’s open.

A moment later, Nora steps into the room. A beat while the
two women look at each other. So many emotions between them.

NORA
Jess. Hi.

She goes to Jess, throws her arms around her, hugs her tight.

NORA (CONT’D)
I would’ve come by earlier, but I
rehabbed in Germany. I only got
back Saturday...

JESS
I know. Sit.
(gesturing to the TV)
I’ve been watching Max’s cartoons.
Anything to distract me.

Once Nora’s seated, she notices the wall opposite. There’s a

large unfinished MURAL on it. The outline of a world map,
with only half the colors filled in.

NORA
Whoa. When did that happen?
 14.

JESS
Max is obsessed with maps these
days, so Jimmy had this bright
idea. He didn’t get to finish
before he left. And now...

She trails off. Too painful to continue the sentence.

NORA
If there’s anything you need, just,
please let me know.

JESS
I need answers. “Missing” isn’t an
answer. They won’t even tell me
what country it happened in.

NORA
The mission is classified.

This response triggers a burst of frustration from Jess.

JESS
Like they all are. Do you know what
it’s like to be married to someone
who can’t tell you where he’s
going, or when he’ll be back?
(re: the unfinished mural)
It’s like this. Half of a thing.

Nora understands that Jess is channeling her grief into

anger. She wishes she knew how to ease her friend’s pain.

NORA
Jess. I’m so sorry.

JESS
It’s not fair. You and Gallo don’t
have families, why are you the ones
who...
(she stops herself)
I don’t mean that.

NORA
No, you’re right. It isn’t fair.

Survivor’s Guilt is a heavy thing. It’s hitting Nora hard.

18 INT. NORA’S APARTMENT – ARMY BASE - LATER

Nora lets herself in. She rubs her right leg: it’s aching.
She grabs the bottle of pain killers, pops one. Then picks up
her Flying Cross medal and looks at it for a long moment.
 15.

She tosses the medal onto the bed and goes into the closet.
She sits down at the drum kit, puts on a pair of headphones.
She cranks up music. It’s driving rock, maybe The Black Keys.
Nora picks up a pair of sticks and plays along. Her drumming
is controlled, precise, aggressive. She’s making a decision.

We see what follows in QUICK CUTS: Nora dials Captain Gallo

on her cell phone... gets no answer...

19 OMITTED

20 OMITTED

21 EXT. GALLO’S HOUSE - OFF BASE - LATER

A modest house with an unmowed lawn. The only thing well-kept

about the place is the Ducati motorcyle parked out front.

Nora pulls into the driveway in her well-worn pickup truck

(looks like model from the early 2000s). She climbs out,
knocks on the front door. After a moment, Gallo answers. He’s
in a T-shirt and boxers. He’s surprised to see her.

GALLO
You realize this is fraternizing.
You coming here alone.

NORA
We need to talk, sir.

She pushes past him into the house.

22 INT. KITCHEN - GALLO’S HOUSE - OFF BASE - NIGHT

Gallo follows her in.

GALLO
Sorry for the outfit. You woke me.

NORA
It’s only nine o’clock.

GALLO
I didn’t get much sleep last night.

NORA
I’m having trouble sleeping too.
(sees his face, realizes)
Oh. Not what you meant.
 16.

Gallo flashes a roguish grin. Then he throws open the fridge.

GALLO
You want anything?

NORA
No.

He gets a beer for himself, cracks it open.

GALLO
I went back to the Colonel about
your desk duty situation, but he
wasn’t having it.
(he shrugs, then)
You should have Ian try. The
Colonel loves his Eagle Scout ass.

NORA
I’m not here about desk duty.

Her voice is dead serious. Suddenly Gallo is worried.

GALLO
You said nothing had changed.

NORA
We got medals today. You don’t feel
guilt about that?

GALLO
Sure I feel guilt. But allow me to
quote the great Justin Bieber: it’s
too late now to say I’m sorry.

NORA
I don’t understand how you’re so
fine. We lied in our debriefs.

GALLO
We made that decision together.

NORA
If we get caught...

GALLO
That’s paranoia talking. The
mission review’s closed. We’re good
as long as our stories matched.

NORA
I said everything we agreed on.
Richard bailed with the prisoner
and that’s the last we saw of them.
Pink (03/18/2017) 17.

GALLO
Then there’s no problem.

NORA
There is for me. I want to come
clean. To Ian, to the Colonel...

Gallo reacts like he just got slapped. He interrupts her.

GALLO
You’re out of your mind.

NORA
There’s something bigger going on
here.

GALLO NORA
We’ve been over this. Richard lied about the
prisoner. Why?

GALLO
Telling the truth won’t help find
Jimmy. It won’t help anyone. Least
of all you.

He says it with fierce certainty. But Nora’s not convinced.

NORA
I joined the Army to be one of the
good guys. That’s not how this
feels.

GALLO
People don’t want boots on the
ground, so this is what war is now.
Covert ops. Blurred lines. That’s
what you joined.

NORA
Nice speech.

GALLO
I’ve been giving it to myself a lot
lately. Because we have no choice.
We need to keep our mouths shut.

He reaches out and touches her arm. It’s the first time we’ve
seen them touch. Beat.

NORA
You’re right. And I hate it.

She’s convinced now. But not one bit less unsettled.

 18.

23 INT. JESS’S HOUSE - ARMY BASE - NIGHT

A PHONE is ringing on the kitchen wall.

JESS (O.S.)
Sweetie, will you get that?

Little Max comes running in. He grabs the phone.

MAX
Hello?
(beat, he beams)
Daddy?

Jess hears it and comes racing into the room. Off her face,
reeling from the fact that her missing husband is on the
phone, we SMASH TO BLACK.

END OF EXTENDED TEASER

 19.

ACT ONE

24 OMITTED

25 INT. BASEMENT - SOMALIA - DAY

A dirt-floored basement, lit by one narrow window high on the

wall. There’s a man here, his hands and feet bound with zip
ties. It’s Crank, one of the CAG Operators. Now we hear a
door open and down a concrete set of stairs come TWO CAPTORS,
both Somali men. They’re dragging Jimmy.

He’s blindfolded, bound and bruised, face covered in a month

of beard. The Captors shove Jimmy onto his knees, take off
his blindfold, then return upstairs. The door clangs shut.

CRANK
You alright?

JIMMY
They finally decided how to use us.

He sounds dazed. Processing what just happened to him.

CRANK
What do you mean? What happened up
there?

JIMMY
They shoved a sat phone into my
hand and told me to dial my wife.
Said they’d shoot me if I didn’t.

CRANK
So you called their bluff.

Jimmy is silent. Which tells Crank all he needs to know.

CRANK (CONT’D)
A soldier’s duty is resist or
escape. Nothing else.

JIMMY
I wanted to hear her voice. You
would’ve done the same.

CRANK
Dammit, man. You have no idea the
mess you just started.

Off Jimmy’s face, the truth of that sinking in...

 Pink (03/18/2017) 20.

26 INT. SHADOW RAIDERS COMMAND CENTER - ARMY BASE - DAY

The room is full of Shadow Raiders, including Nora and Gallo.

There’s a BUSTLE OF ACTIVITY as Colonel Haskins leads FIVE
C.I.A. STAFFERS through the office. They look intense as
hell, with expressions of stone. Their leader is the stoniest
of all: THEA (late 20s, a cool-eyed doberman).

They approach the front of the room, where Ian is waiting for
them. Colonel Haskins does the introductions.

COLONEL ROBERT HASKINS

Lieutenant Porter is one of our
best intel officers. He’ll be your
primary liaison.

C.I.A. OFFICER THEA

(giving Ian a once-over)
Anyone every tell you that you look
like an action figure?

She gives an inscrutable half-smile: it’s one of her things.

That, and a love of putting people off their guard.

IAN
No, ma’am.

C.I.A. OFFICER THEA

You’re adorable.

Ian doesn’t know how to respond. Colonel Haskins glances at

Thea’s team. Is this twenty-something really the one in
charge here?

COLONEL ROBERT HASKINS

Are we waiting on anyone else from
your team?

C.I.A. OFFICER THEA

No, Colonel. Buck stops with me.
Let’s get started.

She heads to the front of the room. She passes by Gallo, who
not-so-subtly looks her up. She meets his eyes, unflinching.

The Colonel hangs behind with Ian for a moment, to explain

the presence of Thea’s team.

COLONEL ROBERT HASKINS

O.G.A. is taking lead on this. I
can’t get a straight answer why.

He isn’t happy about it. Now he goes to the front of the

room. All fall silent. He addresses the assembled group.
 Pink (03/18/2017) 21.

COLONEL ROBERT HASKINS (CONT’D)

Take a seat. Last night, Jimmy Kam
called home on a scrambled sat
phone.

Ripples of shock and joy pass over the room.

COLONEL ROBERT HASKINS (CONT’D)

He’s been captured. Along with one
of the CAG operators, Sergeant
Hendrix.

Nora and Gallo’s joy curdles now, turning to concern.

COLONEL ROBERT HASKINS (CONT’D)

This is Thea, from O.G.A.

C.I.A. OFFICER THEA

(correcting him)
It’s Thay-a.

COLONEL ROBERT HASKINS

Her team’s gonna be embedding with
us for awhile.

Thea steps forward and takes over the briefing.

C.I.A. OFFICER THEA

These are the first P.O.W.s since
Bergdahl. That’s not a good thing,
in case any of you are fuzzy on the
situation. Everyone from POTUS on
down has been briefed, and our
orders are keep it quiet. Media
blackout, top-level classification.
Clear? Okay, play the video.

A C.I.A. Staffer clicks a few keys on a laptop, and a video

appears on a screen at the front of the room. It’s Jess.

27 OMITTED

28 INT. HOLDING ROOM - ARMY BASE - DAY (RECORDED VIDEO)

Jess faces the camera in a military holding room.

JESS
Our son answered the phone. Jimmy
asked him to put me on.
Pink (03/18/2017) 21A.

DEBRIEFER (O.S.)
And what did he say to you?

JESS
He explained what happened. There
were four of them who bailed out of
the Black Hawk together, him and
three Delta Force guys.
(MORE)
 Pink (03/18/2017) 22.

JESS (CONT'D)
They got surrounded and there was a
fire fight. Two got killed. Then
Jimmy and Sergeant Hendrix ran out
of ammunition. They got...
(collects herself, then)
They were beaten unconscious and
captured.

DEBRIEFER (O.S.)
Did your husband mention a man
named Richard? Or the prisoner they
had in custody?

JESS
He said they were still in the
helicopter when he bailed.

DEBRIEFER (O.S.)
What else did Jimmy tell you?

JESS
There are demands. Fifty ISIS
prisoners in exchange for the two
of them. Then the line went dead.

The video freeze-frames. BACK TO --

29 INT. SHADOW RAIDERS COMMAND CENTER - ARMY BASE - DAY

Nora and Gallo stare at the screen, trying to process all of

this. Meantime, C.I.A. Officer Thea clicks a few buttons on
the laptop and Jess disappears, replaced by a map of Somalia.

C.I.A. OFFICER THEA

We believe they’re in the Golis
Mountains, held by one of the Al
Shabaab factions that’ve flipped to
ISIS. Our best guess is it’s the
group led by this man.

On the screen: an image of a fierce-eyed man in his late 30s.

C.I.A. OFFICER THEA (CONT’D)

Khalid Samatar. Also known as “The
Surgeon.” I won’t get into why.

GALLO
‘Scuse me. Your best guess? That’s
all you’ve got?

C.I.A. OFFICER THEA

It’s Captain Gallo, right? And Ms.
Madani. The Ones Who Made It Back.
Pink (03/18/2017) 23.

Gallo meets her ice-cold gaze.

GALLO
We did what we were trained to do.

C.I.A. OFFICER THEA

I know, I read your debriefs. And I
wouldn’t be here if you hadn’t
crashed your helo.
(back to business)
Now: we expect that when Samatar’s
people make contact again, it’ll be
through an intermediary. This first
volley was more about theatrics
than anything.

She clicks to a new image on-screen: C.I.A. Officer Richard.

C.I.A. OFFICER THEA (CONT’D)

As for Richard and the prisoner...
Mrs. Kam’s account corroborates the
one we already have. They evac’d
the Black Hawk after the others,
and continue to be M.I.A.
Richard is one of the Agency’s most
valued officers. The search for him
is ongoing.

COLONEL ROBERT HASKINS

But our focus is on the ones we
know’re alive. We’ve been told a
prisoner exchange is off the table.
So the only way they get out is we
break them out. We’re assembling a
team to plan and execute a rescue
mission. O.G.A. on logistics, CAGs
doing the door-kicking, us
providing transpo. Gallo, Suarez,
Sood, Nilsson: you’ll be flying.
Porter, DeWaal, Branch: TacOps.
Green and Madani: you’ll handle
flight planning.

Nora looks far from happy about her assignment.

C.I.A. OFFICER THEA

The projected mission scope is
months, not weeks. We have to find
them first. But make no mistake:
we’ll get them back. Until then,
you’re stuck with us.

Another patented Thea half-smile. And off the screen, now

with images of Jimmy and Crank’s faces...
 Pink (03/18/2017) 24.

30 INT. COLONEL’S OFFICE - ARMY BASE - LATER

The Colonel looks up as Nora bursts in.

NORA
Sir, you have to let me fly this
mission.

COLONEL ROBERT HASKINS

You’re grounded, Madani.

NORA
I know those mountains. I studied
them like crazy before we went in.
Not only that. Captain Gallo and I
have been paired up for a year. You
put him with someone else, no way
he flies as well.

COLONEL ROBERT HASKINS

He’ll adapt. I already have this
O.G.A. kid up my ass, I don’t need
you in there too.

But Nora is not giving up.

NORA
The psychologist said I’m fine to
fly. I don’t understand why you
won’t accept that.

The Colonel is tired of this argument. So he blurts out...

COLONEL ROBERT HASKINS

Because Lieutenant Porter asked me
not to.

NORA
(stunned)
What? Why would he do that?

COLONEL ROBERT HASKINS

He knows you better than anyone.
And he doesn’t think you’re squared
away.

This infuriates Nora, but she’s not going to let the Colonel
see that. Very calmly, she says...

NORA
Sir, we all know how you got your
Silver Star. Fire fight in Falluja,
you went back for an injured
soldier who got left behind.
(MORE)
 25.

NORA (CONT'D)
I’m asking you to let me do the
same thing.

This has its intended effect. The Colonel softens. A little.

COLONEL ROBERT HASKINS

You’d need to prove you’re up to
it.

NORA
However you want.

COLONEL ROBERT HASKINS

Alright. You’ll fly the Nap-of-the-
Earth exercise on Thursday, but
you’ll do it as pilot-in-command.
Captain Gallo won’t touch the
controls unless you choke.

Nora doesn’t like the sound of that. But she doesn’t say it.

COLONEL ROBERT HASKINS (CONT’D)

You’ve never done below treeline on
your own, have you?

NORA
No, sir.

COLONEL ROBERT HASKINS

Then you better start practicing.

Nora doesn’t feel anywhere close to confident about the test

she’s been given. But she knows it’s her only shot.

As we hold on her face, we hear SOUND PRELAP.

IAN (O.S.)
I can explain...

31 EXT. SHADOW RAIDERS CENTRAL COMMAND - ARMY BASE - MINUTES LATER

Nora and Ian are on the lawn in front of HQ, in a heated

argument. They’re keeping their voices low so no one
overhears them. But it’s clear Nora is pissed.

NORA
You went around my back.

IAN
I tried to talk to you about it.
You wouldn’t.
 26.

NORA
Because I’m fine.

IAN
You think I don’t notice you taking
those pills?

NORA
The doctor said “as needed”. And
I’d never do it when I’m flying.

IAN
Nora...

NORA
When I joined this unit, I knew I’d
have to work twice as hard to prove
myself to them. I’m fine with that.
But to you, too? That’s messed up.

IAN
(maddeningly cool)
Okay, you need to calm down.

NORA
Or maybe you could try not being
calm. FOR ONCE EVER.

IAN
I almost lost you over there. I
don’t want you getting in the
cockpit if you’re not ready.

NORA
I’m going back for Jimmy. Nothing’s
getting in the way of that.

With that, she storms off across the lawn.

32 INT. HANGAR EQUIPMENT ROOM - ARMY BASE - A FEW MINUTES LATER

Nora is suiting up to fly. It’ll be her first time in the

cockpit since the mission in Somalia.

She straps on her flight vest and pulls on her helmet.

Then she goes to close her locker. As she does, she glimpses
the bottle of painkillers in her bag inside. Pauses.

She doesn’t take one.

Just slams shut the locker, heads out.

 Pink (03/18/2017) 27.

33 EXT. SPECIAL OPS FLIGHT LINE - ARMY BASE - DAY

Nora crosses the tarmac to the line of Black Hawks. Gallo is

waiting for her, leaning against one of the helos.

GALLO
I don’t know how you changed the
Colonel’s mind, but I’m impressed.
You ready for your practice run?

NORA
Yes, sir. We’re taking Adele?

It’s the nickname of the Black Hawk that Gallo’s leaning on.
He pats its metal flank affectionately and they climb in.

34 INT. BLACK HAWK - DAY

Gallo and Nora snap into their seatbelt harnesses. Gallo

starts checklist procedures as Nora digs in her flight vest,
takes out the wooden toy and sets it on the console. But
then, as Nora starts to turn on the radio, Gallo stops her.

GALLO
Hold up. Before they can hear us...

NORA
Yeah?

Gallo’s face is serious. Troubled.

GALLO
It isn’t normal for O.G.A. to sweep
in like this. There is something
bigger going on here. If we’re
gonna get Jimmy out safe, we need
to know what.

NORA
So you agree with me now.

GALLO
Don’t rub it in.

NORA
The first step is ID-ing the
prisoner we had that night.

GALLO
I’ve got a friend who can help. I’m
on it, soon as we’re done here.

Nora nods. Now, conversation done, she turns on the radio.

 28.

NORA
Renegade One-Two. Adele’s ready to
roll in the deep.

She fires up the engines. As the rotor comes to life, we hear

the deafening chuck-chuck-chuck. Nora reaches for the cyclic
stick. Her hand is shaking, just a little. Gallo notices.

GALLO
You nervous?

NORA
No sir.

But she’s lying.

35 EXT. SPECIAL OPS FLIGHT LINE - ARMY BASE - DAY

The Black Hawk lifts up off the tarmac. Like a brutally

graceful metal bird, it soars into the sky.

36 INT. BLACK HAWK - A FEW MINUTES LATER

Nora operates the controls, Gallo is beside her.

GALLO
I couldn’t get us clearance for the
actual course today. But this’ll do
for practice.

He points out the window. Down below, we see a housing

development. A cul-de-sac with rows of white houses.

NORA
How’d you get permission for
residential?

GALLO
It’s empty. The developer went
belly up, never finished.

Nora tilts the cyclic stick forward and begins to descend.

37 EXT. DESERTED HOUSING DEVELOPMENT - DAY

An eerily empty street, lines of unfinished homes with yards

that never got planted.

The Black Hawk approaches.

 Pink (03/18/2017) 29.

38 INT. BLACK HAWK - DAY

They’re about a hundred feet off the ground now.

GALLO
Bring her below the roofs, then
shoot down the line. 120 knots.

Nora nods. She lowers the Black Hawk until they’re hovering
ten feet off the street, a canyon of houses on either side.
Then she pulls up on the collective control, and the helo
rushes between the houses.

Nora is nervous; we see it in her face. And we see her wince

whenever she uses her right leg on the anti-torque pedal.

GALLO (CONT’D)
You’re drifting down, watch that.

Nora adjusts the collective. But not quickly enough...

...Because they’re approaching the tall line of trees at the

end of the street. Moving at a terrifying speed. They’re
going to slam right into them.

GALLO (CONT’D)
Trees, Madani! You need to pull up
NOW!

But instead of pulling up -- Nora freezes. For a split

second, but it’d be long enough to cause disaster if Gallo
didn’t take over the controls. He jerks back on the cyclic
and they bank up sharply. Just making it over the trees.
Skimming the branches.

GALLO (CONT’D)
You almost killed us both.

Nora is shaken. Furious at herself, too. SMASH TO BLACK.

END OF ACT ONE

 Pink (03/18/2017) 30.

ACT TWO

39 INT. BLACK HAWK - SOMALIA - NIGHT (FLASHBACK)

One month earlier: the mission that started it all, right

after the rocket hit them. Everything in the Black Hawk is
shaking, and steaming hot hydraulic fluid gushes everywhere.

On Nora’s leg, where she was shot, a blood stain grows. She
ignores the pain, focused on helping fly the damaged helo.

NORA
We lost Engine 2!

Jimmy responds on intercom from the back, where he’s huddled

with C.I.A. Officer Richard, the three CAG Operators (one of
them wounded) and the hooded Prisoner.

JIMMY
Confirmed. Fire on Engine 2!

Flames are springing from the side of the helo. Jimmy grabs
an extinguisher, starts blasting at them. And up in front --

GALLO
She’s shaking like crazy. We’re
gonna have to bring her down.

NORA
We need to get as far from the
tangos as possible.

GALLO
We’re not making it much farther.
Find us someplace safe. All I see
is rocks down there.

NORA
(scanning the map)
There’s a lake. West Southwest, two
clicks.

Gallo turns the bird and starts heading that way.

NORA (CONT’D)
We have to evac the others before
we ditch. Too dangerous otherwise.

Gallo nods, then addresses the passengers over intercom.

GALLO
Listen up. We’re gonna bring her to
a hover over the water.
(MORE)
 Pink (03/18/2017) 31.

GALLO (CONT'D)
You’ll all bail, then we’ll get as
far from you as we can. Thirty
seconds out.

Nora grabs the wooden toy off the console, puts it in her
flight vest. She’s not leaving it behind.

In back, Jimmy tears the photo of Jess and Max off the wall.
He’s not leaving that. Meanwhile, Richard grabs the Prisoner,
jerking the hooded man up by his tied hands. Nora sees this.

NORA
He’ll drown with that hood on.

C.I.A. OFFICER RICHARD

It’s not coming off.

Gallo wrestles the controls to bring the Black Hawk down

toward the lake.

40 EXT. LAKE - SOMALIA - NIGHT (FLASHBACK)

The Black Hawk hovers over the lake in the darkness.

41 INT. BLACK HAWK – SOMALIA – NIGHT (FLASHBACK)

Jimmy throws open the side door.

JIMMY
Go go go!

The CAGs bail into the rushing water, one after another. Then
Jimmy goes. Richard is last -- he’s about to jump out with
the Prisoner when the helicopter VIOLENTLY BUCKS.

Richard and the Prisoner go toppling back into the bird.

Richard rolls to one side, The Prisoner to the other. He
slams into the back of Nora’s seat.

Meanwhile, Gallo struggles to steady the helo and guide it

across the lake, as far from the others as he can. Until...

GALLO
I’m losing the controls! We’re
going down!

Nora looks at the Prisoner, with that hood over his head. She
makes a decision: she won’t let him drown. She reaches for
his hood. Richard sees and shouts --

RICHARD
Hey! HEY!
 32.

But from where he is, Richard can’t stop her. Nora tears off
the hood. Now we see the Prisoner’s face. He doesn’t look
Somali at all. He’s a clean-shaven white guy with duct tape
over his mouth.

On his chest, exposed by his half-open shirt, is a TATTOO. A

skull with wings and the number 802. Nora stares.

GALLO
This is it!

We hold on Gallo’s face as the Black Hawk goes crashing into

the water. SMASH TO --

42 OMITTED

43 OMITTED

44 INT. ARCHIVE ROOM - PERSONNEL CENTER - ARMY BASE - MORNING

On Gallo’s face. He was spacing out... remembering. He shakes

it out of his mind.

As he does, the camera pulls back and we see he’s in the

office where Army personnel records are stored, seated at a
table covered in folders. He glances up as Nora enters.

NORA
Morning. Sorry I’m late.

GALLO
You look thrilled to be awake.

NORA
I slept like crap.

GALLO
I bet. All that guilt over nearly
killing us yesterday.

He’s teasing her, but she doesn’t find it funny. At all.

NORA
I’m going to hit the simulator hard
between now and the flight test.
I’ll be ready.

Someone steps in: Anna. (From Gallo’s bed in the Teaser.)

She’s a civilian employee here. Carrying more folders.
 Yellow (03/18/2017) 33.

ANNA
Here’re some more.

GALLO
This is my friend Anna. She’s
getting us all the records for the
802.

ANNA
Hope you find whatever you’re
looking for, cowboy.

She goes, but not before giving Gallo a coquettish smile.

NORA
How exactly do you know her?

GALLO
We go out now and then. She’s into
some kinky stuff. Loves handcuffs.

NORA
I did not need to know that.

Gallo smiles, shrugs. Nora turns her attention to the stack *

of printouts. On the top page is a skull with wings and the
number 802. It’s one of the symbols of the 802nd Infantry.

NORA (CONT’D) *
This is the tattoo I saw. *
(looks over at Gallo) *
They told us we were targeting a *
Somali national that night. *

GALLO *
Instead we got an American soldier. *
Doesn’t make sense to me either. *

NORA *
Let’s find his face.

As they start poring through the files, CUT TO --

45 INT. THEA’S OFFICE - ARMY BASE - DAY

Thea and her C.I.A. Staffers have colonized this room as

their temporary office. At the moment, they’re using it to
meet with Colonel Haskins and Ian.

On the screen at the front is a map of Somalia, with a small

section highlighted.
Yellow (03/18/2017) 33A.

C.I.A. OFFICER THEA

Our sources are pointing us here,
saying to look for walled
compounds. But satellites are
obscured by storms and our
surveillance flights are grounded.

COLONEL ROBERT HASKINS

And why is that?
 34.

C.I.A. OFFICER THEA

These mountains are in an
autonomous region of Somalia.
Called Puntland.

COLONEL ROBERT HASKINS

I’m aware.

C.I.A. OFFICER THEA

Right, so maybe you can guess why
they’d be pissed that a Black Hawk
crashed in their borders... on a
mission they’d never heard about.
They’ve retaliated by closing their
air space to us.

COLONEL ROBERT HASKINS

We got in without them knowing
before, we can do it again.

C.I.A. OFFICER THEA

No. State Department says we’re
playing ball.

COLONEL ROBERT HASKINS

Why??

Ian chimes in now, guessing at the answer.

IAN
Oil, sir. There’s a lot of it in
Puntland. And a lot of U.S. firms
who’d like to drill it.

Thea glares at Ian. She does not appreciate the interjection.

COLONEL ROBERT HASKINS

Don’t tell me we’re risking
American lives because of some oil
reserves.

C.I.A. OFFICER THEA

It’s hardly the first time.

COLONEL ROBERT HASKINS

This is what happens when civilian
agencies run military ops. Bolo’d
from the start.

He’s done with this meeting. He gets up, storms out. Beat.

Thea turns to Ian, with that inscrutable half-smile of hers.

 35.

THEA
“Bolo’d.” I assume that’s some sort
of Army slang?
(before Ian can respond)
I can guess what it means. Let’s
continue.

And as the meeting goes on, we CUT TO --

46 INT. BASEMENT - SOMALIA - NIGHT

Halfway across the world, Jimmy and Crank huddle in the dark.

CRANK
Hey rotor-head. You awake?
(off a grunted response)
I want you to think. What’d you
hear when you were upstairs?

JIMMY
I don’t know. Men’s voices.

CRANK
How many?

JIMMY
Hard to say. Four or five.

CRANK
Anything else?

JIMMY
A call to prayer. From outside.

CRANK
So we’re near a village. That’s
good. What direction was the sound?

JIMMY
To the right... maybe ten feet from
the top of the stairs. There was a
breeze from that way too.

CRANK
That’s an exit.
(a plan is taking shape)
This is where we should do it,
before they move us again. We get
our hands free, we’ll have surprise
on our side. Overpower them, take
their weapons, fight our way out.

Jimmy can’t believe he’s hearing this.

 36.

JIMMY
No way that’ll work. We’ll get
ourselves killed.

CRANK
You’d rather sit here and wait til
they cut our heads off?

JIMMY
(he’s utterly overwhelmed)
I don’t know... I don’t know.

CRANK
We have a shot. We gotta take it.

Off Jimmy’s blindfolded face, so unsure what to do, CUT TO --

47 INT. ARCHIVE ROOM - PERSONNEL CENTER - ARMY BASE - DAY

Nora and Gallo continue digging through personnel files. Her

PHONE VIBRATES. She glances down to see who’s texted her.

NORA
It’s Jess.

GALLO
Go. I’ll keep looking. If I get
bored, I’ll take a handcuff break.

He flashes a grin: he said that to mess with her. Nora rolls

her eyes and goes. Gallo starts on another stack of papers.

48 EXT. PARADE GROUNDS - ARMY BASE - DAY

A company of ENLISTED SOLDIERS practice maneuvers out on the

lawn, marching in careful sync beneath a giant American flag.
Jess is watching from a set of bleachers off to the side.
That’s where Nora finds her.

JESS
I like watching drills. Something
calming about it.

NORA
(she understands)
Yeah. Order.

JESS
Never been my strong suit. Jimmy
and I were dating three months when
I got pregnant.
(MORE)
Pink (03/18/2017) 37.

JESS (CONT'D)
Then, suddenly, I’m an Army Wife. I
had no idea what I was getting
into.

NORA
You never told me that.

JESS
I’m not proud of it.
(beat, then)
I need to ask you something. What’s
O.G.A.?

NORA
“Other Government Agency.” It’s a
euphemism we use.

JESS
For what?

NORA
For the C.I.A.

It takes Jess a moment to process that. She’s shaken.

JESS
They made me sign something, saying
I can’t tell anyone Jimmy’s been
captured. Not even my son.

NORA
Right now, Jimmy’s a lot more
valuable alive. If this leaks, that
situation gets less stable.

JESS
(cynically)
Right. And a prisoner exchange
isn’t good P.R. either.
 38.

NORA
We’re going to get him out.

JESS
How?

NORA
That’s classified.

JESS
This is insane. I can’t talk to
anyone, I can’t know anything, I
just have to sit and wait?? Please,
tell me where he is. At least tell
me that.

NORA
I can’t.

JESS
(bitter sarcasm)
Because it’s your duty. And that’s
more important than anything else.

NORA
Yes.

JESS
I can’t understand living like
that.

NORA
It’s how Jimmy lives too.

JESS
Yeah, and I’ve never understood it.

She spits out the words. Beat. Just the sounds of the drills.
Jess calms. Then she makes a confession.

JESS (CONT’D)
I was cheating on him, Nora.
Thinking about leaving him, too.
But now? All I want is a chance to
try again.

Nora is hit hard by this. She has no idea what to say, so she
says nothing. Jess turns to her, eyes pleading.

JESS (CONT’D)
Just promise you’ll do everything
you can.
 39.

NORA
I’m going to get myself on the team
that goes in... and we will get him
out. But you need to promise me
something too. You won’t give up.

Jess nods, wishing she knew how to do that.

Somewhere in the distance, there’s the sound of a CANNON.

It’s time for the daily Retreat Ceremony. Every soldier out
in the field abruptly stops and turns to salute the flag.
Nora does as duty requires: she stands and salutes too.

As for Jess, she just stays sitting.

49 INT. ARCHIVE ROOM - PERSONNEL CENTER - ARMY BASE - DAY

Gallo is still going through photos. He flips a new page and

sees it: the face of the prisoner from that night in Somalia.
He reads the print below the image. His eyes go wide.

GALLO
Son of a bitch.

He pulls out his phone, snaps photos of the file, then gets
up and hurries out the door. Determination on his face.

END OF ACT TWO

 40.

ACT THREE

50 OMITTED

51 OMITTED

52 INT. HALLWAY - ARMY BASE - DAY

Gallo hurries down the hall, a man on the mission. He passes

SEVERAL OTHER Shadow Raiders, chatting, then arrives at a
door marked SIMULATOR ROOM. Just as Nora steps out of it.

GALLO
I thought you’d be here. How’d it
go?

NORA
Much better today.

It’s a lie, but Gallo doesn’t know that. Besides, he has

other things on his mind. He doesn’t want the others to hear.

GALLO
Let’s walk.

As they head off down the hall, away from the others...

GALLO (CONT’D)
I found our guy. But we can’t talk
about it here.
(passing a slip of paper)
Meet me at this address, 2100.

NORA
I thought I was the paranoid one.

Gallo answers that with a rueful smile. And as they reach a

fork in the hallway, Gallo peels off.

Nora pockets the slip of paper and heads the other way. We
follow her down the hall until she comes across... Ian.

He’s about to step into the briefing room. He stops and their
eyes meet. It’s a tense moment, given their argument the
other day.

But there are other people around, so neither says a word.

Nora just keeps walking, and Ian goes into...

53 OMITTED
 Pink (03/18/2017) 41.

54 INT. THEA’S OFFICE – ARMY BASE - DAY

C.I.A. Officer Thea looks up from her laptop as Ian steps in.

IAN
Do you have a moment?

She gives him a cold smile.

C.I.A. OFFICER THEA

For you, Lieutenant? Always.

IAN
I did some research. Puntland is
starting an Anti-Terror Unit. It
was one of their president’s
campaign promises.

C.I.A. OFFICER THEA

It’s a joke. Poor training, no
resources.

IAN
Exactly. We can help them look
better. Do the rescue op as a joint
mission; let them take credit for
saving two Americans. It’d be a big
incentive to reopen their air
space.

Thea is impressed, despite herself.

C.I.A. OFFICER THEA

Adorable and smart. It’s a good
idea.

IAN
The Colonel thought so too.

C.I.A. OFFICER THEA

Well, then. I’ll run it by State.
(as Ian turns to go)
Before you go. I understand that
you and Ms. Madani are a couple.

Ian wasn’t expecting that.

IAN
That’s right.

C.I.A. OFFICER THEA

For how long?
 42.

IAN
Two years. We met in the 101st.
When I put in a packet for Special
Ops, she did too. They’d just
started taking female pilots.

C.I.A. OFFICER THEA

(nods, then)
And tell me, what’re your thoughts
on Captain Gallo?

IAN
Not sure what you mean, ma’am.

C.I.A. OFFICER THEA

They went through a lot together.
That can create intense feelings.

IAN
He’s her commanding officer. The
rules around that are very clear.

C.I.A. OFFICER THEA

One last thing. Monday evening, she
left the base alone. Stayed out
several hours.

IAN
You’re checking the exit logs?

C.I.A. OFFICER THEA

We’re running a deep-black
operation; I’m doing my due
diligence. Any idea where she went?

Beat. And then, although he has no idea, Ian covers for Nora.

IAN
I believe she went to a movie,
ma’am. I could ask her which one.

He meets Thea’s eyes, unflinching. He may be the one person

in the world who’s capable of being just as cool and
controlled as she is.

C.I.A. OFFICER THEA

Thank you, Lieutenant. No need.

Her parting look to Ian is somewhere between threatening and

flirtatious. He can’t tell which.

55 OMITTED
 43.

56 OMITTED

57 OMITTED

58 OMITTED

59 INT. ABANDONED HOUSE - THAT NIGHT

Nora nudges open the door and steps into an otherworldly

environment: the kitchen of an abandoned house, lit eerily by
car headlights from outside.

There are holes in the walls and sections of the ceiling are
crumbling away. The marble counter is cracking, and the sleek
modern appliances are covered in layers of dust and dirt.

Gallo is standing inside, waiting for her, nursing a beer.

NORA
This neighborhood was creepy enough
when we were flying through it. But
this is next level.

GALLO
Hey, it’s secure. We can’t be too
careful.
(gesturing around)
I figure this was the model home.
They just left it all behind.

NORA
It reminds me of...

GALLO
A war zone, I know. Want a beer?

NORA
I don’t drink.

Gallo thinks he detects a smugness in her voice.

GALLO
Question. Do you and Ian have
contests to see who can get the
stick furthest up their ass?

NORA
Just show me what you found.
 44.

Gallo hands her his phone -- the photos of the personnel file
(with the Prisoner’s face) are on the screen.

GALLO
802nd infantry, 4th brigade. Listed
as killed in action in 2014.

Nora stares at the man’s face, stunned. Trying to process.

NORA
That’s impossible. We saw him alive
a month ago.

GALLO
We’ve stumbled onto something here.
No idea what it means.

NORA
We should bring it to the Colonel.

GALLO
And say what? “We saw a dead guy in
Somalia. And by the way, we lied in
our debriefs.” No. We can’t do
anything until we have a lot more.

Nora knows he’s right. Makes her feel even more overwhelmed.

NORA
I don’t know how to keep this up.
I’ve told so many lies I’ve lost
count. My flying’s gone to hell
too.

GALLO
You said it went well today.

NORA
Another lie.
(beat, then)
I thought I was stronger than this.

GALLO
You know what your problem is?

NORA
Can’t wait for you to tell me.

GALLO
You’re too hard on yourself. Duty
is not the opposite of weakness.

NORA
No, it’s the cure for weakness.
 45.

GALLO
Wow. That’s bleak.

NORA
I like structure, okay? Rules.
There was a time I didn’t have
that. And it was bad.

GALLO
Thus the not drinking.
(off her nod)
You’re aware there are other ways
to blow off steam.

NORA
Like kinky sex with admins.

GALLO
Don’t knock it til you try it.

NORA
I’ll stick with drumming.

GALLO
Drumming? You? Not seeing it.

NORA
My I.P. at Rucker said drums are a
lot like flying helos. Hands and
feet working separately. So I
bought a kit.

An impish smile spreads across Gallo’s face.

GALLO
If you like banging on stuff, I’ve
got just the thing. The reason I
started coming to this place.

Gallo picks up a PIECE OF METAL PIPE from the corner of the

room. He winds up the pipe like a bat, and slams it into the
fridge. Adding a new dent to its already-cratered surface.

GALLO (CONT’D)
Sometimes it just feels good to hit
something.

He beats the fridge again and again with the pipe. Nora
stares. What he’s doing is a little crazy. And she’s
realizing something about him.

NORA
You act like nothing shakes you.
But you’re a mess.
 46.

GALLO
Wanna try?

NORA
Why not.

She accepts the pipe.

GALLO
This wall’s one of my favorites.
Very satisfying. Go wild, baby.

Nora takes a swing at the wall. The pipe CRASHES through,

creating a new hole. She laughs. That was actually fun. She
keeps swinging, pounding away chunks of wallboard.

GALLO (CONT’D)
Hooah! You show that wall!

Nora is really getting into it now. She turns the pipe on a

metal wall stud, starts wailing on it. Denting it more with
each blow. She’s letting out all her anger, her fear, her
frustration. Going nuts on that wall stud. And now tears are
starting to come too.. she’s breaking down...

GALLO (CONT’D)
Okay, now you’re freaking me out.

But she keeps going. He lunges forward, grabs her, stops her.

Then, suddenly, they’re kissing. The craziness of all this,

the secrets they share, the electricity of the moment, it’s
taken over. It’s frenzied and it’s hot.

Gallo lifts Nora up onto the counter. She kisses his neck, he
starts undoing her pants... then Nora comes to her senses.

NORA
We could be courtmartialed for
this.

Gallo steps away. Beat.

GALLO
We already have secrets. What’s one
more?

NORA
No.

GALLO
You can’t tell me you don’t want
this too.
 47.

NORA
Duty is the cure for weakness. Sir.

With that one word, sir, Nora reminds him that he’s her
commanding officer and anything more is not an option. They
stand there, facing each other. Both wanting more, but
knowing they can’t.

60 INT. NORA’S APARTMENT - ARMY BASE - LATER THAT NIGHT

The sound of keys in the door, then Nora steps in. She’s
shocked to find Ian sitting at her kitchen table.

NORA
What’re you doing here?

IAN
I came by to talk about something.
Didn’t expect you’d be out til two.

NORA
You could’ve called first.

IAN
My other girlfriend likes when I
surprise her.

He means it as a joke, an attempt at their regular banter.

Little does he know, it resonates very differently now.

IAN (CONT’D)
You’re not going to tell me where
you were?

NORA
I was driving. To clear my head.

IAN
The other night too?
(off Nora’s confused look)
O.G.A. has their eye on you. That’s
what I came to say. Any idea why?

This rattles Nora. She tries to hide from him just how much.

NORA
Look, I’m tired, I have my flight
test tomorrow...
 48.

IAN
I work in intelligence. It’s my job
to know when someone’s hiding
something. And you are. Ever since
you got back. You can tell me.

For a moment, it seems like she actually might. Then...

NORA
There’s nothing to tell.

Ian doesn’t believe her. And now, for the first time, we see
him lose his temper. It’s like a switch just got thrown.

IAN
You’re tired of me being calm??
Fine. YOU NEED TO CHOOSE. Start
trusting me, or we’re done. Let me
know when you decide.

His anger is intense and explosive. Clearly he’s got a lot of

it bottled up inside. He goes, SLAMMING SHUT the door behind
him. Leaving Nora alone and reeling.

END OF ACT THREE

 Pink (03/18/2017) 49.

ACT FOUR

61 INT. NORA’S APARTMENT - ARMY BASE - THE NEXT MORNING

Nora’s alarm clock goes off. 5 AM. She climbs out of bed,
goes into the closet and sits down at her drum kit. But this
time, rather than trying to contain her emotions through her
playing, she lets them out. She pounds away like mad.

The SOUND OF HER DRUMMING underscores a series of QUICK CUTS:

Nora getting dressed, collecting herself for this all-
important test. Then she grabs her wooden toy and tucks it
into her pocket...

Which is when she notices her hands. They’re shaking like

mad. She makes a decision. Grabs her bottle of pain killers.

She dumps out a pill on the dresser and uses the pill bottle
to crush it. She scrapes the powder into a line...

AND SHE RAILS IT. That’ll calm her nerves.

62 OMITTED

63 OMITTED

64 OMITTED

65 OMITTED

66 EXT. SPECIAL OPS FLIGHT LINE - ARMY BASE - LATER

Nora strides across the tarmac to a group that’s clustered by

the Black Hawks. FOUR SHADOW RAIDERS PILOTS are there, along
with Gallo, Colonel Haskins and Ian.

COLONEL ROBERT HASKINS

I hope you’ll make us both proud
today.

NORA
I plan to, sir.

Now her eyes meet Ian’s. It’s awkward between them, after
last night. Gallo sees the look. He wonders about it as he
and Nora climb into one of the Black Hawks and the other
pilots climb into theirs.
 Pink (03/18/2017) 50.

67 INT. BLACK HAWK – DAY

Nora and Gallo buckle into their harnesses and begin

checklist procedures. As they do, he asks her...

GALLO
Are we good?

She understands what he’s asking. He wants to be sure she

didn’t tell Ian what happened between them last night.

NORA
All squared away.

She reaches into her flight vest, takes out the Hawkman toy,
sets it on the console. Then she switches on the engines.

68 EXT. SPECIAL OPS FLIGHT LINE - ARMY BASE - DAY

Three Black Hawks, including Nora and Gallo’s, take off. They
rise in formation and soar into the sky. MEANWHILE --

69 INT. BASEMENT - SOMALIA - EVENING

Jimmy and Crank sit, hands and feet bound, trying to get some
sleep. They’re awakened when the DOOR CLANGS OPEN.

In come the two Somali Captors, bearing trays of food.

They’re followed by a third man. We recognize him from the
picture in the intel briefing. This is THE SURGEON.

He points to Crank and instructs his comrades in Arabic.

THE SURGEON
This one first.

Captor 1 holds his AK-47 on Crank while Captor 2 unbinds his

wrists. Then the Captor places the tray of food on the floor
in front of Crank. It’s gray-looking chicken in sludgy sauce.
Crank digs in, ravenously.

Meantime, Jimmy addresses the captors in halting Arabic.

JIMMY
I read somewhere that you think
music is an insult to God. Is that
true?

The Surgeon exchanges a look with the other Captors: he’s

impressed the hostage speaks Arabic. But he doesn’t respond.
So Jimmy launches into a song, at the top of his lungs.
 Yellow (03/18/2017) 51.

JIMMY (CONT’D)
Hello my baby, hello my honey, *
Hello my ragtime gal, Send me a *
kiss by wire, Baby, my heart's on *
fire... *

THE SURGEON
Shut him up.

Captor 1 goes to Jimmy, tries to shove a rag into his mouth.

But Jimmy struggles fiercely, singing even louder as he does.

JIMMY *
If you refuse me, honey you lose *
me, Then you'll be left alone, oh *
baby, telephone and tell me *
I'm your own... *

The Surgeon takes things into his own hands. He PISTOL WHIPS
Jimmy in the face. Jimmy goes down, and the Captors pounce on
him. Hitting Jimmy again and again and again. Brutally.

While the others are distracted, Crank pulls one of the small
bones from the chicken and palms it. BACK TO --

70 INT. NORA & GALLO’S BLACK HAWK - DAY

Through the windshield, trees stretch into the distance: a

state forest. The two other Black Hawks are in front, headed
that way. Nora and Gallo are the last in line.

Gallo gestures to the Hawkman toy on the console.

GALLO
I think it’s time you told me. What
is that thing?

NORA
It was a gift. My first deployment,
from this little Afghan girl. She
said until me, she didn’t know
women could be soldiers.

GALLO
And now it’s your rabbit’s foot.

NORA
Kept me alive so far.

Out through the windshield, we can see the other Black Hawks
descending into a dry river gully in the forest below.
Yellow (03/18/2017) 51A.

GALLO
Let’s hope that doesn’t change
today. Here we go.

Nora tilts the cyclic and they descend too... below the tree
line... until they’re just a few feet above the river bed.
 52.

70A EXT. RIVER GULLY - DAY

They start speeding through the perilously narrow gully,

trees on both sides, in line with the other helicopters. It’s
a precise, dangerous maneuver. A few feet in either direction
and the rotors would hit a tree, spelling disaster.

70B INT. BLACK HAWK - DAY

Nora’s calm and controlled as she flies the dangerous course.

NORA
Do me a favor. Stop shadowing.

Gallo looks down at his hands. He is “shadowing”, moving his

hands over his controls as she moves hers. He stops. CUT TO --

71 INT. SPECIAL OPS HANGAR - ARMY BASE - DAY

C.I.A. Officer Thea enters, beelines to Ian and the Colonel.

C.I.A. OFFICER THEA

We just got word from State. Your
bright idea worked, Lieutenant. The
air space is open again, and we’ll
do this as a joint mission with the
local unit.

IAN
I’m glad to hear it.

C.I.A. OFFICER THEA

We also got our operation codename.
Perseus. Has a ring to it, don’t
you think?

COLONEL ROBERT HASKINS

Let me guess. Your choice.

C.I.A. OFFICER THEA

(coolly)
I know you don’t like me, Colonel.
But I assure you nothing’s getting
“bolo’d”. I’m here to bring those
men back.

COLONEL ROBERT HASKINS

Yeah. I’d just like to know what
else you’re here for.

Thea doesn’t answer that. Just smiles, inscrutable as ever...

 Pink (03/18/2017) 53.

72 EXT. RIVER GULLY - DAY

The line of Black Hawks continues through the test course.

72A INT. BLACK HAWK - DAY

Nora is carefully navigating the last section of gully.

GALLO
You’re almost through.

Nora nods, concentrating as she flies. Then Gallo shouts...

GALLO (CONT’D)
Heads up! Branch at one o’clo...

Before he even finishes, she’s calmly dodged it. Now they’re

speeding toward a bend in the river. The end of the course.
Nora pulls back the cyclic and the helo rises into the sky.

GALLO (CONT’D)
You did it, Madani.

NORA
Hooah!

She grins. Until, suddenly, the sound in the cockpit changes.

NORA (CONT’D)
Sounds like we lost an engine.

GALLO
Confirmed. Engine 2 out.

The helo convulses. Then engine sound cuts out completely.

NORA
We just lost them both.

END OF ACT FOUR

 Pink (03/18/2017) 54.

ACT FIVE

73 INT. BLACK HAWK - DAY

Right where we left off, inside the Black Hawk cockpit.

GALLO
Confirmed. Both engines are dead.

NORA
How’s that possible? The crew chief
checked everything this morning.

GALLO
Main R.P.M. is dropping.

NORA
Try to restart with A.P.U.

GALLO
No. We have to initiate
autorotation. We’re losing
altitude.

It’s true, they’ve started to drop. For a second, we wonder

is Nora going to freeze up again? But she doesn’t.

NORA
Yes sir.

She takes control, talking herself through the procedure.

NORA (CONT’D)
Reducing collective... R.P.M.
rising... eighty... eighty-five...

73A EXT. SKY - DAY

The helo is in free fall, rotor speed increasing...

73B INT. BLACK HAWK - DAY

But it’s not increasing quickly enough.

GALLO
Not enough. You need to get the air
speed up.

Nora pushes the cyclic stick forward to increase speed. Which

creates air flow to raise the rotors’ R.P.M., which in turn
gives Nora more control of the helicopter’s movement.
 55.

NORA
R.P.M. at a hundred percent. And...
we’re sixty feet off the deck.
Cyclic back, lever up, pedal in...

As Nora does this, it rapidly decelerates the helo...

73C EXT. FIELD - DAY

BOOM. The Black Hawk hits ground with a bump that shakes the
whole thing. It’s a hard landing, but a safe one.

73D INT. BLACK HAWK - DAY

All is calm now. And, without the engines, silent.

GALLO
Congratulations. Now you’ve passed
my test, too.

NORA
What?

GALLO
I shut off the engines.

NORA
Why would you do that??

GALLO
I needed to be sure you could hold
up under pressure. Last time, you
froze.

Anger flashes in Nora’s eyes. She switches off the radio. No

one at base can hear them now. Then she turns on him, fuming.

NORA
Never pull anything like that
again, understand? I need to be
able to trust you.

GALLO
Whoa, it was just a training
exercise...

NORA
Ian told me that O.G.A.’s been
watching me. Probably you too. If
we can’t trust each other, we can’t
trust anyone.
 Pink (03/18/2017) 56.

Gallo is hit hard by this. He looks over at Nora, sees how

rattled she is too.

He reaches over, places his hand on hers.

They clasp hands for a long moment, there in the cockpit. Two
people with a connection that no one else in the world
shares. Neither saying a word.

The moment passes. Because, of course, there’s a job to do.

Duty to uphold. Nora clicks back on the radio.

NORA (CONT’D)
Renegade One-Two, returning to
base.

She fires up the engines.

73E EXT. FIELD - DAY

The Black Hawk’s rotors spin to life and it lifts off.

74 INT. SPECIAL OPS HANGAR - ARMY BASE - LATER

Colonel Haskins is in the hangar with Ian, C.I.A. Officer

Thea, and the other pilots. All are waiting for Gallo and
Nora to return. Finally, they come striding in the doors.

COLONEL ROBERT HASKINS

Nice work, soldier.

He shakes her hand warmly. He really is glad she passed.

C.I.A. OFFICER THEA

Yes, congratulations.

She offers her hand. Nora shakes it, trying to hide how wary
she is of this woman who’s been “keeping an eye” on her.

C.I.A. OFFICER THEA (CONT’D)

I’m looking forward to working
together, Ms. Madani. Welcome to
Operation Perseus.

She flashes one of her half-smiles before heading off.

Leaving Nora utterly unsure what to make of the exchange.

Nora turns and heads across the hangar.

Ian goes after her, catches up.

 57.

IAN
Hey. I’m proud of you.
(as she starts to speak)
It’s okay. We don’t have to talk
about that now.

NORA
No, I want to tell you the truth.

Ian steels himself. He has no idea what he’s about to hear.

NORA (CONT’D)
I’ve been visiting Captain Gallo
outside of work. I know that’s not
kosher... but he’s been struggling
with what we went through over
there. And he doesn’t have anyone
else to talk to.

So she’s chosen to tell Ian yet another lie. He buys it.

IAN
Thank you for telling me.

For a moment -- just a fleeting one -- Nora’s eyes meet

Gallo’s, far across the hangar.

Then she and Ian head off together. We hold on Gallo’s face
as he watches them go. He’s telling himself it doesn’t bother
him to see Nora and Ian together. But it does.

Music begins on the soundtrack: DRUMMING. Driving, insistent.

This launches us into a MONTAGE...

75 OMITTED

76 INT. JESS’S HOUSE - ARMY BASE - THAT NIGHT

Jess is in the room with the half-finished mural, laying down

sheets of newspaper.

In the corner is a stack of paint cans.

MAX
Mom, what’re you doing?

JESS
We can’t just give up, right? We’ve
gotta finish it, for when Dad gets
home.

Mother and son stand there together, looking at the mural.

 58.

77 INT. BASEMENT - SOMALIA - DAY

Jimmy and Crank, in the dirt-floored basement. Jimmy’s face

is swollen and caked in blood, the result of his beating.

As for Crank: behind his back, his hands are working. He’s
using the TINY CHICKEN BONE to pry open the catch on the zip
tie around his wrists. Finally, success.

JIMMY
You got it?

Crank shakes off the zip tie, then tears off his blindfold.

CRANK
Your turn.

He uses the bone to start prying open Jimmy’s zip tie.

CRANK (CONT’D)
This is it, rotor-head. We’re all
in now.

He sounds almost gleeful about it, hungry for a fight. As for

Jimmy, his face tells the opposite story. He’s terrified.

78 EXT. GALLO’S HOUSE - OFF BASE - NIGHT

Gallo is arriving home on his motorcycle. He’s surprised to

find a car in the driveway. He peers in the window. It’s
Anna. She looks troubled.

ANNA
Someone came by my office today,
asking what records you looked at.
What’ve you gotten yourself into?

Now Gallo is troubled too. Off his face...

79 INT. NORA’S APARTMENT - ARMY BASE - NIGHT

Nora lies in bed with Ian. He’s asleep but she’s wide awake.
We PUSH IN on Nora’s face as the drumming stops. SMASH TO --

80 EXT. LAKE BANK - SOMALI MOUNTAINS - NIGHT (FLASHBACK)

Back to the night the Black Hawk went down. The helicopter is
sinking into the dark lake. Nora and Gallo drag themselves up
out of the water and onto the bank. They pull the Prisoner
out after them. Richard is nowhere to be seen.
 59.

NORA
(re: the Prisoner)
He’s not breathing, sir.

GALLO
We have to get his hands free.

Nora pulls a knife from her flight vest and cuts the binding
on the Prisoner’s hands. They roll him onto his back and
Gallo starts giving chest compressions. After a moment, the
Prisoner coughs up a stream of water and vomit. That’s when
they hear a voice behind them.

C.I.A. OFFICER RICHARD

You should’ve let him drown.

They turn to see Richard, also dripping wet. He has his M9

handgun aimed at Gallo, who’s between him and the Prisoner.

C.I.A. OFFICER RICHARD (CONT’D)

Now you’ve seen him, we have a
problem. Step away, Captain.

Gallo and Nora realize: Richard intends to kill the Prisoner.

And at that moment, the man starts to speak.

PRISONER
Please... I’m an American
citizen... Don’t let him do this...

C.I.A. OFFICER RICHARD

(to Gallo)
Move or I will shoot through you.

There’s venom in his voice. He’s serious about the threat.

PRISONER
His name is Richard Lasky, he’s the
one who sent me here...

Gallo is frozen, unsure what to do. This Prisoner is pleading

for his life and there’s a battle-mad frenzy in Richard’s
eyes. Can Gallo really just let him execute this man?

Richard isn’t waiting to find out.

C.I.A. OFFICER RICHARD

I told you to move.

He’s pulling the trigger. He’s going to shoot Gallo.

We hear a GUN SHOT. But it’s Richard who sinks to the ground.
Nora did it. She shot him with the handgun from her flight
vest. To save Gallo’s life.
 60.

The second Richard is down, the Prisoner scrambles to his

feet and sprints into the dark woods. Gallo runs after him.

Nora stays there, the weight of what she did hitting her. She
goes to Richard, feels his pulse. Time is moving strangely
now... slowly... it could be a ten seconds or ten minutes
before Gallo is behind her again. Without the Prisoner.

GALLO
It’s pitch black. I lost him out
there.

Nora’s eyes are on Richard. The truth is still sinking in.

NORA
He’s dead.

Off Nora’s face...

81 INT. NORA’S APARTMENT - ARMY BASE - NIGHT

It’s very late now. Nora sits on the edge of her bed. Though
Ian sleeps soundly, she can’t. Not with a memory like this.

She holds the Hawkman toy, clutching it in her fingers as if

hanging on for dear life. And now, we go into SPLIT SCREEN...

82 SPLIT - INT. NORA’S APARTMENT / INT. GALLO’S HOUSE - NIGHT

Gallo can’t sleep either. He stands at the window of his

kitchen, a beer bottle in his hand, gazing out. The sun is
just beginning to rise.

CHYRON: Operation Perseus, Day 1.

Nora gets up off the bed. Then both she and Gallo -- in their
separate spaces -- walk out of frame. They’re miles apart,
yet struggling with the same heavy secret. SMASH TO BLACK.

END OF THE PILOT EPISODE OF “VALOR”