Free Dear John by Jamie Linden

exactly a war zone, but it’s not too far away either.
    And as they get closer, a FRANTIC MAN runs across the road, blindly firing his AK-47 into the cement factory.
    CAPTAIN STONE
    Jesus. Pull over, Daniels.
    They come to a stop a safe distance from the Man, who’s YELLING INCOHERENTLY as he unloads his ammunition.
    Noodles squints at the guy as he opens the Humvee door.
    NOODLES
    What the hell’s up with this guy?
    But John pushes right past him.
    JOHN
    Let’s find out.
    He beelines straight towards the guy and swiftly, impressively disarms his weapon, sweeping him off his feet.
    Starks, their language specialist, casually walks over, listens to the Guy HOWL AT JOHN in some foreign tongue. Starks raises his eyebrows.
    STARKS
    He’s speaking Turkish.
    JOHN
    Well what’s he saying?
    Starks just shrugs. John glares at him with disgust.
    JOHN
    Jesus. What the hell kind of language expert are you?
    STARKS
    I speak Persian, I speak Pashto. I speak German. I speak all kinds of shit. How many foreign languages do you speak?
    John rolls his eyes, then motions towards the cement plant back to Stone, who gives his okay. John stalks off.
    STARKS
    Where are you going?
    JOHN
    Somebody’s gotta find out what he’s talking about.
    As he heads off, Stone jerks his head at Noodles -- go with him.
    153        INT. ABANDONED CEMENT PLANT -- DAY
    John enters the factory, weapon at the ready. Systematically clears the giant room.
    Then Noodles walks in, sees John relax his weapon --
    -- and then a bullet catches Noodles squarely in the chest.
    A hidden ARMED TALIBAN SOLDIER emerges nearby and, in one quick, instinctual motion, John unholsters his secondary weapon and shoots him twice in the chest. He flies back, dead before he hits the wall.
    John hurries over to Noodles, who’s still conscious and is frantically ripping off layers to find the entry wound...
    ...till he finally reaches it... and EXHALES.
    He shows John the flattened bullet, caught right on the edge of his FLAK JACKET. Two inches more to the left and it would’ve gone right through him.
    NOODLES
    God, I’ve never loved a piece of clothing more in my entire life.
    Noodles grimaces from the pain, but he’s so relieved that he’s almost grinning. John stares down at the smoldering bullet, just as relieved.
    BUT DOWN BELOW -- their team is flying into action. From safe cover, Stone sends Berry and Daniels stealthly towards the staircase, then hollers up towards the hole in the wall.
    CAPTAIN STONE
    The hell’s going on up there!?
    Tyree! Gallo! What’s your status?
    John stands up, now half-grinning himself, and calls out to them.
    JOHN
    All clear, Capt--
    Suddenly a bullet SLICES into John’s neck.
    His eyes widen, but he’s too stunned to cry out. He falls onto his back, his eyes searching the dingy ceiling above him.
    Meanwhile, Noodles stumbles to his feet, starts to return fire towards the other TALIBAN SOLDIER hiding in the shadows across the room. Berry and Daniels charge up the stairs as well, guns blazing, riddling the Rebel with dozens of bullets.
    Noodles finally stops firing, kneels over John, cuts open his fatigues now, sees all the blood.
    NOODLES
    Medic! I need a medic up here!
    John draws a sharp breath, GULPS for air. His PUPILS begin to DILATE as he stares up at the SKY.
    He GASPS again. Try as he might, he can’t hold on. And as his eyes finally close, and the sound fades away --
    EVERYTHING TURNS SILENT. EVERYTHING GOES BLACK.
    154        INT. MILITARY HOSPITAL -- STUTTGART, GERMANY -- DAY
    John opens his eyes again. He’s in a strange room. A NURSE is changing his IV.
    NURSE
    Welcome back, Sargeant Tyree.
    John struggles to get his bearings. He tries to speak, but his mouth is parched and dry. The Nurse turns his morphine drip a notch higher.
    NURSE
    Rest easy, okay? You’re alive, and that’s all that matters right now.
    But although John does not appear to agree, and although he fights as hard as he can to maintain