REDDOG

By

Will Whitney

Based on an Actual Event

Version 01/15/2019 408-482-2686

[email protected]
[email protected]
EXT. AFGHANISTAN DESERT - DAY

In the hot desert of Afghanistan, a mirage comes into focus

revealing U.S. MARINE SERGEANT ALPHA standing perfectly still
in the middle of the vast and barren desert.

A bead of sweat rolls down his face and drops off his nose.
We follow the sweat droplet down in slow motion until it
impacts the sand next to his boot.

As we pull back, a gust of wind blows away sand, revealing a

metal tripwire running directly under his boot.

CUT TO BLACK

INT. MILITARY BRIEFING TENT - DAY

On a military base in the desert, a platoon of Marines gather

in a briefing tent to discuss protocols for the patrol they
will be conducting today by an Army MAJOR ACEVEDO.

MAJOR ACEVEDO
...remember to keep your eyes peeled
for these at any time, your life could
depend on it.

While the Major plays a boring safety brief PowerPoint up

front, a small group of guys in the back are messing around.

They each have a pocket knife in their hands and are throwing
it straight down so it lands upright in the sand between
their boots, chuckling as they do so.

Alpha bends over to pick up his knife from the sand and looks
up at the presentation wrapping up upfront.

The Major informs the group that today's emergency code word
is "REDDOG". He removes a plank of wood hanging from the wall
with the red letters "REDBULL" painted on it and replace the
sign with today's word.

MAJOR ACEVEDO (CONT'D)

Alright Marines, you know the game
plan. Go win the hearts and minds,
enjoy your walk.

The briefing is finished and the Marines get ready and get
suited up for their patrol.

CUT TO BLACK
 2.

EXT. AFGHANISTAN DESERT - DAY

The early morning sun now sits high and bright in the sky as
the group of Marines patrol the desert.

Staggered apart in two long columns, they walk across the

open desert. Some Marines are walking with their eyes closed,
some are humming or softly singing a song to themselves, some
just sigh and grumble as they put one foot in front of the
other.

The wind begins to pick up ever so slightly, sending sandy

gusts into the faces of the men.

Alpha is starting to drag his feet a bit as he is getting

exhausted.

His foot begins to raise up to take his next step in slow

motion. He closes his eyes and tilts his head up slightly to
let out a LARGE SIGH.

His boot begins descending, even slower now as he tilts his

head back down. He opens his eyes just in time to see a glint
of sunlight coming from the very place in the sand, where his
boot has now just landed.

As his boot depresses into the sand, the depression shoots

off to the left and right of his boot as if he stepped on a
buried wire.

His eyes widen.

He stands completely frozen in place, the only thing moving

are his eyes as he begins following the line in the sand.

As he does, he sees bits and pieces of a wire unburied,

leading away from him. They lead right to a rather flat
desert rock that seems a bit out of place to the environment.

On that rock, are a few other pebbles stacked one on top of

the other.

FLASH TO WHITE

INT. MILITARY BRIEFING TENT - DAY (PAST)

The group of Marines are still standing in the briefing tent,

with the Major still up front giving the PowerPoint.

(CONTINUED)
 3.
CONTINUED: (2)

Alpha bends over to pick up his knife from the ground and
peers through the group in front of him. The projector screen
currently displays a slide about BOMB MARKERS.

The slide changes and shows various makeshift markers that

have been used to indicate where a bomb has been planted but
the enemy. A wooden stake in the ground with a ribbon tied to
it, a dead tree limb stuck upright, rocks stacked on one
another.

EXT. AFGHANISTAN DESERT - DAY (PRESENT)

Alpha is still frozen with his leg forward. The Marine behind
him in line, CORPORAL BRAVO walks up closer and closer.

BRAVO
Hey man, you alright?

Alpha doesn't answer, he just keeps looking at the rock

stack. Eventually Bravo follows his gaze and sees the stacked
rocks, then looks between them and sees the exposed wire.

He slowly takes a step back and mutters to himself.

BRAVO (CONT'D)
red dog...

He stammers a bit louder.

BRAVO (CONT'D)
Red Dog...

He takes in a deep breath.

BRAVO (CONT'D)
RED DOG! RED DOG! RED DOG!

Immediately, every Marine in the patrol cocks back their

rifle, ready for a fight.

Bravo runs and shout to the front and back of the patrol
line.

BRAVO (CONT'D)
IED! IED! CIRCLE 'ROUND HIM!

The guys up front of the patrol turn around and run towards
Alpha while the ones at the back run up to approach.

(CONTINUED)
 4.
CONTINUED: (2)

They run around Alpha forming a very large, 300 meter wide
circle around him. Then they all drop down into the sand,
their weapons pointed outwards, ready to defend.

CUT TO BLACK

EXT. AFGHANISTAN DESERT - DAY

In the hot desert of Afghanistan, a mirage comes into focus

revealing Alpha standing perfectly still in the middle of the
vast and barren desert.

A bead of sweat rolls down his face and drops off his nose.
We follow the sweat droplet down in slow motion until it
impacts the sand next to his boot.

As we pull back, a gust of wind blows away sand, revealing a

metal tripwire running directly under his boot.

Alpha closes his eyes tightly and lets off a slight whimper
as tears form.

In the circle of Marines, the Radio Marine, LANCE CORPORAL

CHARLIE takes off his giant backpack radio and begins dialing
in the frequency back to base.

CHARLIE
BREAK BREAK BREAK! Old Crow, Old Crow
this Oscar Echo Foxtrot 13 tack 2,
declaring an emergency...

Meanwhile, Alpha is still standing perfectly still with his

eyes closed.

FLASH TO WHITE

EXT. THE BEACH - DAY - FLASHBACK (FIRST PERSON)

A beautiful blonde woman, JULIETTE, wearing a white dress,

looking like an angel, dances in the sand. Following her
twirling and dancing, we spin around and see the beach and
ocean, not the desert.

FLASH TO WHITE

EXT. AFGHANISTAN DESERT - DAY

Lance Corporal Charlie manages to get a Bomb Disposal

Technicians on the radio. He listens to the radio for a bit,
then shouts the orders of the tech over to Alpha.
 5.

CHARLIE
Sergeant! Just because nothing has
blown up yet from stepping on the wire
doesn't mean anything!

It could be either you did not step

hard enough to set it off, or more
likely it'll go as soon as you take
your foot off!

Alpha lets out a helpless sigh.

CHARLIE (CONT'D)
The key is to not move until they get
here!

The Marines in the circle perimeter one by one go from

kneeling, to sitting, to laying down prone as time goes on
with no action. A few prop their rifles up while they reach
for their water canteens to take a sip.

Alpha is parched but he doesn't risk moving any muscle he

doesn't have to.

Behind them all, off in the horizon mirage, a military

vehicle can be seen speeding towards them, causing a small
sandstorm in its wake.

The vehicle parks and more Marines come out. Several

reinforce the circle perimeter while others pull out large
black pelican cases and set them up in the shade of the
vehicle.

A bomb disposal ROBOT is pulled out by a team from the

vehicle while the pelican cases are opened to reveal an
entire computer command center.

Alpha longingly watched a few of the Marines on the perimeter

drink water from their canteens. He lets out a small sigh and
closes his eyes again.

FLASH TO WHITE

EXT. THE BEACH - DAY - FLASHBACK (FIRST PERSON)

Ocean waves crash and roll up the sandy beach as Juliette

steps into view wearing a scuba wetsuit. She twirls around
and lifts her hair up so Alpha can help zip her up.
 6.

Underwater, Juliette is in the lead in her full scuba gear.

They are holding hands as they dive. Juliette turns to look
at Alpha then takes her regulator out. She smiles and kisses
him, then she looks up and blows a ring bubble.

As the bubble rises, suddenly a weird mechanical whirling

noise grows louder and louder.

FLASH TO WHITE

EXT. AFGHANISTAN DESERT - DAY

Alpha opens his eyes to see the bomb robot rolling up next to
him. The camera arm extends and rotates to look at the wire.

The Robot turns to follow the wire to rock stack. An arm with
a hose extends forward and a blower spins up, knocking over
the stacked rocks and clearing away all the loose sand.

When the dust settles, a large bomb is exposed with the wire
Alpha is standing on leading into it.

The dust from the robot blows into Alpha face. He shuts his
eyes to block it.

FLASH TO WHITE

INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT - FLASHBACK (FIRST PERSON)

Alpha is sitting on the edge of the bed, he turns his head to

look at Juliette as she sits up and grabs the silk bed sheets
to cover her naked body. She blows him a kiss and then steps
out of the room.

EXT. AFGHANISTAN DESERT - DAY

The EXPLOSIVES ORDINANCE DISPOSAL TECHNICIAN at the controls

of the robot has carefully opened the control box of the
bomb, and is using the robot arm to sort through the wires.

EOD TECH
I got it, this should be it.

A bead of sweat rolls down the EOD Techs head.

The robot extends another arm with wire cutters at the end of
it. The EOD Tech very carefully maneuvers it into position.

He looks up from his screen to Alpha standing all alone in

the distance.
 7.

He pulls the trigger on the joystick.

CUT TO BLACK

EXT. AFGHANISTAN DESERT - SOME TIME LATER

Closeup of Alpha face on the ground, motionless, eyes closed,

covered in dried sweat and dust, looking completely lifeless.

Pull back to see his sleeves have been ripped to shreds. Back
still and there is a medical I.V. in his arm and ice packs on
the other.

Pull all the way back to reveal he is just laying on the

ground, alive and in one piece, with a Corpsman (Doctor)
working to re-hydrate him.

The EOD Tech walks over and gives Alpha a slight kick to the
shoulder. Alpha wakes up and he looks around, slightly
delirious.

The EOD Tech chuckles as he squats down next to him and holds
up the 9-volt battery that came off the bomb.

EOD TECH
Thing's dead man.

Alpha looks up at the sky, closes his eyes and SIGHS again.

CUT TO BLACK

ROLL CREDITS