Land of Bad is a 2024 American action thriller film directed by William Eubank, who co-wrote the script with David Frigerio. The film stars Liam Hemsworth, Russell Crowe, Luke Hemsworth, Ricky Whittle, and Milo Ventimiglia.
Captain Eddie “Reaper” Grimm, a US Air Force drone pilot, provides air support from a General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper to a US Army Delta Force team on the ground in the Philippines. After a mishap, Sergeant JJ “Playboy” Kinney, a young air force TACP officer attached to the drone team as its JTAC, finds himself part of an extraction team relying only on Reaper’s remote air support.
* * *
The loading operations are finish, half ready for take-off.
There a problem, Sergeant?
No, sir…
Sorry, I was just, uh…
Get your shit together. We lift off in five.
Yes, sir.
Hey, you’re HALO qualified, yeah?
HALO?
No, sir.
Are we doing a HALO jump?
You’ll be fine.
I’d go Fruit Loops.
My daughter loves them.
Lieutenant Mitchell reporting. I repeat.
Lieutenant Mitchell reporting.
Ah, fuck.
Going after a CIA asset that’s been captured.
The plan is to extract him with minimal casualties.
He was gathering intel on Alexander Petrov, a Russian arms dealer and former KGB.
What’s up?
That your family?
Nah, just a pic that came with the helmet.
Yeah. Wife and kids.
Nice.
Are those the new 5.11 tactical gloves?
You know the ones with the Kevlar knit?
Yeah, yeah. Kevlar knit.
Awesome.
JTAC,
just try to relax, okay?
Right back the other way on the Euro and gets that one to go.
And the whistle too…
That bad?
Yeah, that bad.
Do you wanna talk about it?
Wanna hug?
We can hug.
You need me?
Yeah, I wanted to ask you something, but…
Okay. Coffee?
Sure.
Okay.
Yeah.
Cool.
So, uh,
you know the wedding’s coming up, right?
Yes, I do. Twenty-third.
That’s right.
You’re not gonna change the date, are you?
What?
I’ve got everything organized. I got the kids in place.
I got the ex-wives in place.
Lucy will be out of the hospital.
Reaper.
I’m not going to change the date. I, um, actually wanted to talk to you about something else.
I wanted to ask…
Who moved my shit?
Airman who moved my shit?
Huh?
Coffee pods.
I… I don’t know, sir. I use the drip.
Well, I can’t trust a word you say then, can I?
Yeah.
I take the time.
Every goddamn morning.
I do it for efficiency, easy recognition, and organization.
Is it appreciated?
No.
It is respected.
I think not.
But I do it for the morale of the squadron.
You were saying?
Op starts in 15.
Yeah, yeah. I thought you wanted to talk about something.
It can wait.
Shit.
You lose something?
Ah, just my cereal.
Your what?
Froot Loops.
I had a box of Froot Loops. I don’t know what I did with it.
Jesus Christ, Air Force.
Barely started this op and you’re already sweating about a box of Frosted Flakes.
No, no. It was… it was Froot Loops.
Huh?
Froot Loops, not Frosted Flakes.
This kid for real?
Don’t be an asshole.
That’s cute.
Thanks, man.
Fucking Fruit Loops.
How old are you, Air Force?
Twenty-seven.
Ah…
Bishop, how old’s your daughter now? Twenty?
You should set Air Force up on a date.
Yeah. I will shoot you in the dick, Abell. I swear to God.
No, honey.
I can’t.
I can’t come.
‘Cause I gotta be here at work. Yeah.
Look, just get your sister to go.
What about your mom?
All right. Well, why don’t you call…?
Oh, you called Judy? Uh look, okay, okay.
If it’s only a couple of things, that’s fine.
That’s fine. But right now, I gotta go ’cause I got a mission, yeah?
Zegler a little teardrop.
You know I don’t like that shot in college, right?
It’s made about thirt… yeah, it’s made about 37 percent of the time.
Fuck.
Zegler just settled for a tough floater on the first side of the floor.
Guys.
I got a favor to ask you.
My wife is pregnant.
While I’m on OP, if she goes into labor, she’s gonna call that phone.
All right?
You need to answer it, and you need to come and get me.
Copy?
Thank you very much.
And why don’t we just keep this volume down to a low level?
Because this is a professional work environment.
Now, now. Just because your team delivered the biggest choke in March Madness history, doesn’t mean the rest of us can’t still enjoy ourselves.
It’s about Lucy. Virgil, it’s important.
I know.
Notice the, uh, pseudofolliculitis barbae hasn’t cleared up.
Not yet, sir. No.
Well, you just let me know when you’re ready to shave.
I will, sir.
All right.
Go, Vols!
Go, Vols!
Warhawk, this is Blackbird approaching drop zone.
Headed to 15,000 feet.
Six minutes to the DZ.
Winds are five knots and to the southeast.
Skies are clear.
Happy hunting.
All right, boys. Six minutes.
Here we go.
Fruit Loop, now’s the time to be checking your weapon.
I’m good.
Not your Gameboy. Your actual weapon.
Hey, look, I’m in charge of the drone. So if we wind up in a situation and I’m shooting, we got big fucking problems.
You’re not wrong.
You’re not wrong. JTAC’s only good for one thing and that is… “Bringing the rain.”
Is this your first mission in theater, JTAC?
Second.
But first with operators.
What?
Hell, I’ll say it. Um– we’re about to head into a shit storm.
You still look like you kind of need someone to wipe your ass.
So just… do me a favor.
Keep up and don’t fuck up.
Last thing we need in this op is to have to save your ass.
Nah, he’s good.
Hey, remember your training.
Talk to the planes.
When they start dropping bombs, make sure it’s on the bad guys.
Yes, sir.
You’re not going to need these.
This is a sterilized op.
Be advised we are approaching…
All right, boys. Let’s put our masks on. Let’s get to work.
Hey, JTAC, this might sound stupid but don’t forget to breathe, yeah?
Stay on your comms.
When that hits 3,000, deploy your chute.
It’s just the same as airborne, only way fucking higher.
Good to go.
I’ll see you fuckers on the beach.
Yee-haw.
Hey, walk in the park.
Fuck.
You good?
Let’s go. Come on. Get up.
That ridge.
Four clicks by 0800.
Let’s go. Let’s move.
All right.
Sir,
Thank you, Miller.
Okay, team has landed.
Operators are en route.
The drone is ten mics out from rendezvous point and Warhawk is switching comms.
This carriage is about to turn into a pumpkin.
This is not my chair.
Yes, it is.
No, it is not.
Oh, my god, Reaper, I did not take your chair.
I know you didn’t take my chair.
It will be these commie assholes from Shadow Flight.
You finished?
No, I’m not.
Eat a bag of dicks.
Now I’m finished.
Okay.
All right, let’s take this lady to the dance.
Playboy 06, this is Reaper 1-0 checking in…
You have 1 MQ-9 in the air.
1 by BLU 118 on board. Eight hours of playtime ahead.
Reaper 1-0, this is Playboy 0-6. Stand by for grid, over.
Roger. Standing by.
Grid as follows,
…November, Victor, 7, Niner, 5-7-1-8.
That’s a friendly grid.
Roger, Playboy. I have visual on friendly grid.
I am your eyes in the sky and the bringer of doom.
Over.
Reaper is airborne. Our location is confirmed.
What’s the ordinance?
Two hellfire’s and a BLUE-118, sir.
Lose the sir shit. I work for a living.
It’s Sugar or Sug.
All right.
Makes him feel old.
He is old.
Thanks, Air Force.
Hey, JTAC.
What rock did they find you under?
In Guam on a training exercise.
Missed the flight out.
That was nine hours ago.
How’d you miss the flight?
I had some stomach issues.
Wait.
You’re here ’cause you had the shits?
Well, I hope you got that all cleared out.
You shit your pants on an op, that stain will follow you for life.
Did you get briefed?
Yeah, but I’m a little confused.
What about?
Well, I’m not tier one.
Yet he walks amongst us.
I thought operators don’t go out without tier-one personnel.
We don’t.
So why am I here?
A JSOC asset disappeared two weeks ago.
Believed to be kidnapped.
We’ve got intel on a possible locale.
So this is a rescue op?
Potentially.
Ah.
You can never keep up with these CIA spooks.
Either way… here we are.
So to answer your question no, you shouldn’t be here.
And, yes,
Delta doesn’t usually go out without their tier one personnel.
And, yes, if our guy is here, then we’ll go in and fucking get him.
Translation step up your game.
I need someone to cover.
Yeah.
I gotta check in with Lucy.
How’s she doing?
She’s fantastic.
Got the baby brain going on though.
I gotta repeat everything five times.
It’s amazing.
Absolutely huge.
Got the same thing about this wedding.
Uh, it’s understandable.
There’s a lot of detail.
You think about it.
A wedding is probably the greatest social ritual humanity has.
You know, most important day of your life.
Might as well get it right.
You’re only going to do it once.
Reaper, you’ve been married four times.
Yeah, that’s just me though.
I’m a romantic.
What did you want to ask me before?
Oh, I…
Hold that thought.
Thank you, Miller.
Reaper.
Hey, what’s up?
Ah, this fucking frag is a pain in my ass.
Thought you got that patched up.
I did.
So why are you still bitching about it?
There’s still a fucking hole in my leg, asshole.
What happened?
I.E.D.
Some kid triggered it from half a click out.
We never stood a chance.
Therein lies the problem, Fruit Loop.
All this tech, it takes the human element out of warfare.
And what happens when all that shit fails?
Well…
Well, what?
I don’t know. I mean,
I think this tech saves lives.
In a way, it’s takes the barbaric nature out of it.
Barbaric nature?
Lipstick on a pig.
You really think you dropping a bomb on 50 people is any better than us shooting them in the head?
No.
No. War is barbaric.
It ain’t never gonna fucking change.
It already has.
Listen up, Fruit Loop.
Let me tell you a story.
You can fight with all your robots and your reapers and cell phones you want.
The end of the day, when the technology fails and all your your batteries and your bullets and your bombs run out, you know, and the fucking sun explodes, war comes down to one very simple thing.
And that’s man killing man.
Just takes one shit day to change your whole perspective.
That’s a fact.
Yeah.
Welcome to the land of bad.
Fucking great story, man.
Really fucking good, rich and compelling.
What do you got?
I got movement.
Hundred meters.
Just the other side of those rocks.
I need eyes over that ridge. Hundred meters northeast.
Reaper 1-0, this is Playboy 0-6.
Got suspicious movement a hundred meters northeast of our position. Can you check it out?
Roger that, Playboy. Standby.
Hundred meters southeast.
Got good handshake.
Reaper 1-0, can you zoom in?
Copy that.
Yeah, oh, that’s sexy.
Pan left, 50 meters.
Pan left, 50 meters.
What the fuck?
Reaper, I’m hollow, over.
Roger. Standby.
Systems malfunction.
Goddamn piece of shit.
Playboy, we have a systems malfunction on the bird.
Copy that. Is the pod inop?
That is an a-firm, Playboy. We got to get this piece of shit back to base.
Is another bird available?
That is a negative.
We’ll fix this one up and get it back to you stat.
Reapers down. No other UAV’s available.
Broken Reaper, huh?
Ain’t that some fuckin’ irony?
Looks like we’re gonna have to clear this ridge the old-fashioned way. Abell, you’re on point.
Copy.
Bishop, you’re left.
Copy.
What’s the rest of our air support?
Hornet’s on standby. Thirty mikes out.
What do you want me to do?
Nothing.
I got nothing on my end.
Same here.
Looks clear.
Wait.
Wait, I’ve got movement.
Ten meters.
Oh, for fuck’s sake.
It’s a fucking oink oink.
What the hell’s an oink oink?
A fucking pig, dumb-ass.
Pretty sure you got a picture of her in your wallet.
Fucker.
This is serious bad guy lair shit.
Got two tangos on the bridge.
A third on the far right.
Other side of the tent.
See a Starbucks down there?
I see number four on the lower part of the S-bend road.
Let’s push down.
Okay. Clear.
Clear.
Okay. We’re gonna call this OP1. Air Force, set up up top.
Abell, you stay put. Set up your hindsight.
Bishop, you’re with me.
We’re gonna wrap around south-east.
Hooah.
You good?
Yeah, I think so.
Okay. Go forth and conquer.
All right, gents.
Sit tight.
Call out what you see. Want a head count on that compound before we move on it.
Sug?
When can we get a nice gig in Hawaii?
Sick of swamp crotch.
I don’t think they’d allow you back in Hawaii since last time.
That was one time.
Piece of shit. Fucking.
Got movement.
All right, this sure looks like our guy.
Bishop, can you confirm?
Yeah, that’s Petrov all right.
Okay, if he’s here, the asset’s gotta be close.
Thunderbolt Squadron?
No, it’s not.
I’m sorry I can’t do that for you.
You’re gonna have to call the operator back.
If you ask for extension 141, that’s Thunderbolt. Uh-huh.
Yeah, no problem.
Guys what the fuck?
What’s the problem, Captain?
I asked you to keep an ear on this phone.
Some smartass turned the goddamn ringer off.
Why don’t you turn it back on?
I have.
Is your wife actually in labor, Captain?
On the precipice, sir.
Water’s broken?
Impending.
Having any of those, uh, contractions?
Well, since you asked, right now, 40 mics apart.
Last night, she was tooting like a bugler at a Gettysburg reenactment.
Currently, her cervix is two centimeters dilated and starting to yawn.
All right, that is too much information.
Yes, it is, sir.
Airmen, for the love of God, make sure that phone’s turned on.
Thank you.
Contact.
Multiple vehicles inbound. Eleven o’clock.
Oh, Petrov is on the move.
Who the hell are these guys?
Identify yourselves!
Don’t know.
Local militia?
Kinda looks like Abu Sayyaf.
Bishop, can you confirm?
Yeah, I can’t tell.
More guys with guns.
Sure as shit ain’t taking this compound ’til they leave.
Check out the dude getting out the left side of the lead vehicle.
Tell me that doesn’t look like Saeed Hashimi.
Fuck.
Who’s that?
Head of Abu Sayyaf.
Sure he’s here to buy guns.
Keep your eyes open.
Guns on safety.
JTAC, what’s the status of our air?
Reaper still down, Hornet on standby.
You want it airborne?
Negative.
Sit tight. Let me work on a new game plan.
Yo, drone’s fixed.
Handover in five.
I’m ready.
Fuck.
Playboy, this is Reaper 1-0, back on station. Checking in.
Requesting permission to establish overhead.
Copy that. Good to have you back, Reaper.
Grid is as follows, November, Victor, 1-1-4-8-7-6-3-5. Over.
Copy grid, Playboy.
I have contact.
Open circular compound, one large concrete structure, and a road heading north crossing a dam.
Confirm target area.
Roger that, you have target area in sight.
I didn’t know Hashimi was in bed with Petrov.
Oh, Hashimi’s a terrorist.
He’s got to buy his guns from somewhere.
Come.
Come here.
The miss doesn’t look too thrilled about it.
Yeah, this guy’s definitely a creeper.
She’s getting stranger danger vibes for sure.
Hashimi and Petrov sitting in a tree.
K-I-S-S…
Fuck.
Go away!
Run! Run, run, run.
Oh, fuck.
Take him!
Run!
What the fuck, Sugar? What are we doing?
Warhawk, this is Alpha 1.
Have hostiles engaging with civilians. Requesting updated.
Make him see.
Allahu Akbar!
Fuck me.
Oh fuck…
Motherfucker!
Jesus Christ!
Petrov,
Papa!
Fuck this, Sugar, I ain’t watching this asshole lob off the kid’s head.
Papa!
Kinney, stand by for potential diversion.
Reaper, we need weapons effects between the compound and the tent. Over.
Reaper 1-0. One by hellfire missile, copied.
Papa!
Abell, Bishop, you got a shot, you take it. Kinney, drop that fucking bomb.
Reaper, you are cleared hot! Say again, you are cleared hot!
Copied.
Target acquired.
Weapon’s away. Impact 30 seconds.
No! Papa!
Don’t have thirty.
Run!
Run, kid. Run!
Guys?
It’s a fucking cave entrance.
Kinney, you’ve got hostiles directly below you. Do not move. Do not even breathe.
Abell, Bishop, I need sights on targets.
Abell, you taking center. Bishop, extreme left. I’m on extreme right.
On one…
In position.
On one.
Three– two, one,
Kinney!
Fuck!
Shit. Abell, you’ve got five hostiles on your six. Fifty meters.
Bishop, move. On me!
All right, Abell.
Kinney, I need…
Stay still, asshole.
A little help here, fellas!
Trying, buddy.
Kinney, I need you to lay down some cover fire for Abell.
Sug…
Yeah.
We got a situation.
No shit.
We got another situation. RPG twelve o’clock. Incoming!
Motherfucker!
Motherfucker!
I got you, man. I got you.
Okay.
You’re good, man.
No, you’re good, man. You’re good. You’re good. I got you.
Where’s the med kit?
I’m gonna get you fixed up.
Come on, man. Where’s the med kit?
Kinney.
Kinney.
Abell, Abell. No, no, no.
Fuck, fuck. Oh, fuck!
Abell is down. Abell is down.
Hello?
Oh, fuck.
Oh, fuck. Alpha 1, this Playboy.
Kinney, listen to me.
We are taking heavy fire from two two-man RPG teams.
I need some bombs down there now!
Wait, wh-what about Abell?
Abell is dead.
He’s dead. I need you to stay focused, Sergeant. Get yourself together.
Oh, fuck.
Reaper, we’re taking RPG fire on the southeast side of the compound. Two hundred meters south of my position.
Give me the biggest thing you got. Cleared hot.
Copy that, Playboy. We have eyes on the target.
1 by Blu 118.
Weapons away.
Impact 20 seconds.
Where’s that bomb, Sergeant?
Twenty seconds!
RPG incoming!
Fuck! Sugar?
Sugar? Bishop!
Oh, shit.
Fuck!
You got eyes on him?
Lost him in the smoke.
Fuck.
Did he pop the smoke?
I don’t know.
Playboy, do you copy?
I see him.
Stay with him.
Reaper? Reaper, you there?
Reaper?
Reaper, you there?
We’re here, Playboy.
Give me the status of your team.
Uh,
KIA.
Okay, Playboy, let’s do this by the numbers.
Confirm your current grid location.
Yeah.
Uh,
I’m headed northeast. November, Romeo, 2-7-6-0-niner-3-2-2.
I’m, uh… I’m approx five clicks from the evac point.
I need you to scan forward 500 meters and make sure the area is clear.
Copy, Playboy. We got you.
Scanning forward 500 meters. Standby.
Yeah, area’s clear.
Area looks clear. You’re good to move.
Playboy, do you copy?
Playboy?
What’s he doing? Is he moving?
He’s freaking out.
You gotta calm him down.
Hey, Playboy. Good news.
Helicopter is inbound to the evac point. The cavalry is on the way.
You gotta get your ass on the move, son.
You got to move, man. Let’s go.
Come on, soldier.
Get up and go.
Here we go. All right.
You scan forward. I’ve got him.
Scanning forward.
Tell me what you see.
Reaper,
I think I’m hearing a truck.
He’s right.
I have contact from the west.
Truck on the road, half a click.
I have contact from the east.
Looks like they’re converging on Playboy’s position.
Playboy, be aware. You have converging targets east and west.
How much ordinance do you have left?
One by hellfire. Air to ground 114. Standing by.
You want those hornets airborne?
Negative.
Okay, Playboy, tally. Eyes on target. What you want to do?
Keep eyes on it.
Roger that. Standing by.
Reaper, do you have eyes on hostiles?
Confirmed hostiles from the east are armed.
Are they Abu Sayyaf?
They’ve got weapons. Safe to assume.
Playboy, you copy?
Can’t talk right now.
Ah, for fuck’s sake. Playboy, Playboy.
Canine coming your way.
You gotta be shitting me.
Git.
Fuck, Playboy.
Buffalo Bill has dismounted. He is approaching your position.
Looks like he’s coming towards Lassie.
Do not move.
Playboy, Buffalo Bill is above your position. Do not move.
Okay, Playboy. Looks like Lassie’s going home.
Buffalo Bill has remounted.
Hostiles are leaving the party. Stand by.
Goddammit.
Playboy,
Buffalo Bill and his buddy are gone. The truck is gone.
You are clear tracking 500 meters to your north.
There’s a path up that ridge on your one o’clock.
Hey, Playboy,
how you holding up?
I’m all right.
Where are you from, man?
Ohio.
No shit.
Me, too.
Brook Park.
Middleburg Heights.
We’re basically fucking neighbors.
O-H.
I-O.
Fellow Buckeye.
Get home much?
Yeah.
Yeah, I was just there.
Had to bury my father.
Oh, man. Sorry to hear.
Yeah, it’s okay.
Were you guys close?
Yeah.
Yeah, he was a good guy.
In Sweet Sixteen news, the fucking Buckeyes just shit the bed against VCU.
First round.
Trying to depress me more?
Sorry, man.
Hey, you ever got up to Mama Santas on Mayfield?
Are you kidding me?
I lived at that place during high school.
Fucking great.
I know, right? I met my first wife there in ’95.
Oh, yeah?
Yeah. We met in line.
We both ordered stromboli.
Who the fuck orders stromboli?
I know, right?
I thought it was meant to be.
And it was.
Right up until it wasn’t, you know?
My current wife hates the shit.
She jealous?
Nah, man, worse, she’s vegan.
Ah, man. That is worse.
How do you know if someone’s a vegan?
How?
They will tell you.
You’re getting really close now, man. Just keep up the pace. Good work.
ETA on the helo?
Playboy 0-6, this is Blackbird 2-5, approaching LZ from east.
ETA three mikes, over.
Copy.
Reaper, how’s my path to the LZ?
Clear.
Path is clear.
Time to get the hell out of dodge, Playboy.
Thanks for the eyes, Reaper.
Happy to do it.
Hey, drop me a line next time you’re in Vegas.
I have a solid hookup for Disney on Ice.
You lost me.
I might pass on that, but I’m at Nellis all the time.
I’m here, man. Call CENTCOM.
Raven Squadron. Eddie Grim.
Just ask for Reaper.
Will do.
Blackbird 2-5, I have a visual. LZ is clear for extract.
Marking position with I-R.
Roger that, Playboy. I have your position marked.
Contact! I’m hit! I’m hit!
Playboy, are you injured?
Negative!
Must have hit my plate.
Reaper, hostiles, 100 meters east. Two hundred meters south.
Contact! Blackbird. I have multiple targets around the LZ.
Contact, Blackbird. Three more hostiles on the west ridge.
Small arms and an RPG.
Better move your ass.
RPG!
Shit!
Blackbird, can you stay in the area until we can find a secure LZ?
Negative, Playboy. LZ is too hot.
Back to you as fast as we can.
Shit!
Reaper, west ridge.
Contact, Playboy.
Three more trucks right through.
Reaper, need the bomb 300 meters to the west.
Cleared hot!
Roger that, Playboy.
Tally. Eyes on target.
Stay where you are, assholes.
Stay where you are, assholes.
Weapon away. Impact 20 seconds.
Target is down. Now get the fuck out of there.
Fuck! Taking fire.
This ain’t done.
Got another truck coming in from the west.
Jesus Christ, I’m pinned down.
How are they seeing me?
It’s his strobe!
They must have night vision. He’s gotta turn his strobe off.
It’s your strobe, Playboy. Turn off your strobe.
Taking fire from the east. Drop everything you have.
Playboy, I am Winchester. I’m out of bombs.
ETA on the hornets is two mikes.
Playboy… this is Hornet 1.
Entering point out level.
I’m coming in on an east west heading.
Roger that, Hornet 1.
I’m 200 meters north of target grid.
Keep all fire south of target grid.
I say again, all fire south.
Copy that. Be advised this will be danger close.
Yes, yes. Cleared hot.
Copy.
Three, two, one!
Shit!
Still taking fire from west!
Copy, Playboy. Coming around for another run.
Fuck!
Fuck this!
What do you want, Airman?
Yeah, I’m doing a Starbucks run.
Moving!
Colonel Packett is springing.
A what?
Starbucks.
Have you lost your mind?
Airman, leave!
Eyes on that hornet.
Give me some fire on the west ridge.
You’re cleared hot.
Confirm. West or east?
West! West!
Copy that. This one is going to be danger close.
We still do not have visual on you.
It’s fine. Just drop it! You’re cleared hot!
Be advised, this is danger close.
Altitude.
Altitude.
Pull up.
Pull up.
Playboy, I am Winchester.
Hornet 1 is RTB.
Copy that.
Good shooting.
How’s it looking, Reaper?
Playboy, from what we can see, it looks clear.
These fuckers know we’re out there now, so do not discount any surprises.
We got another LZ?
There’s a clearing two clicks northeast of your position.
You’re not gonna like it though.
You say northeast?
A-firm, Playboy.
Northeast is up a big fucking hill.
I know, man. I told you, you weren’t gonna like it.
I’m sorry, but that is the closest LZ option we have.
Playboy, the helo is airborne.
ETA to the alternate LZ is 90 mikes.
You copy?
Yeah, I’m here.
How you doing, man?
Pretty gassed.
Yeah, no doubt.
Hang in there, okay?
Sorry about the failed evac, man.
Now you know.
Don’t trust Air Force Captains. Traditionally, we are full of shit.
Captain?
Yeah.
You said you met your first wife in ’95.
Yeah, I am old as shit. I should be a general by now.
I got three ex-wives. I got eight kids. I got a new wife. I got a new kid on the way.
I need the active duty bonuses.
If I go out from Captain, they’ll make me an instructor, so fuck that.
You fly fixed wings before the birds?
That is a very long story, my friend.
But, yes, originally, I did sign up to be a pilot.
But apparently, the Air Force thought my responses to authority were not normal.
So that goat got fucked.
Subtle.
What happened?
Well, I shot my big mouth off, and I found myself reassigned to USAF-SF guarding shit in the middle of nowhere for 20 years.
Eareckson Base in the Aleutian, Pine Gap in Australia…
Playboy, do you copy?
Playboy, do you copy?
Yeah. Yeah, I’m here.
What happened?
Slid halfway down a fucking mountain.
Oh, fuck, man. You okay?
You hurt?
Yeah. Just my pride.
Uh, Reaper, I’ve got movement in front of Playboy.
One hundred meters northwest.
Zoom in.
Three armed hostiles.
Playboy, you have three hostiles heading your way.
Find cover.
Find cover.
Fuck.
Shit.
Scan forward. Keep me with him.
Copy.
Got him?
I’m looking. I’m looking.
Fuck.
I got him.
He’s heading downstream.
God fucking dammit!
Get me the colonel.
Yeah.
Keep looking.
I lost him under the canopy.
Fuck.
Reaper, what’s the sitrep?
This mission has gone to shit, Colonel.
I got an op who’s been taken.
We are 12 hours in.
I’m Winchester, but we cannot leave the target area because we have the only eyes.
Requesting permission to stay in the chair until we get the soldier home.
How you feeling? Are you feeling sharp?
Oh yeah.
Sharp as an elephant’s ass.
Staff Sergeant?
I’m good, sir.
Okay, Eddie. Stay in the chair.
Get it done, you two.
Fuck you.
Come on, Playboy.
Come on. Talk to me.
Oh, shit.
You got him?
It’s all radio chatter about the JSOC asset.
Who?
The reason those guys are there, not confirmed, but one says Borneo, the other Yemen.
Yemen?
That’s halfway around the fucking world. You shitting me?
Who’s saying that?
Reading between the lines with CIA or DIA.
Man.
Alphabet soup motherfuckers!
You can’t trust a word they say.
Hands!
Hands!
Hands!
Are you injured?
Look at me.
I thought you were dead.
Here.
Drink this. Drink. Drink. Drink.
Here. Put that on, okay?
Okay?
An RPG exploded on your position.
Near, not on.
Listen.
Bishop got captured.
He’s injured pretty bad.
I gotta go.
We gotta go back and get him.
So, grab what you can, okay? Here.
Take this. Here.
Put them in here. Put them in here.
Here take this.
Come on.
You following me, Sergeant?
Hey. Look, I get it.
This is not where you want to be, but you got to dig, okay?
It’s not here. It’s not here. It’s here.
Bishop’s in trouble.
We gotta go back and get him.
Okay.
You can still shoot, can’t you?
Yeah.
Let’s go.
Still have your battery?
No, I lost it in the fall.
Let me see your knife.
What for?
I’m gonna call Warhawk.
With a water bottle?
Come on, you piece of shit.
Reaper, this is Playboy.
Playboy, where the fuck are you?
I’m with Alpha one.
We’re headed back to the initial AO.
No, no, no, no. Negative. Negative, Playboy.
We have Intel the asset has been found.
We’re not going for the asset.
Say again?
We’re not going for the asset. One of our team members was captured. We’re going in to get him.
Playboy, a QRF is being assembled. Hold your position until they’re deployed.
Negative, Reaper. There’s no time.
Get on the horn with CJSOTF, and let them know our sitrep.
We’re gonna need planes on standby. ETA to target area is 6-0 mikes.
We’ll confirm grid then. Over.
What direction you heading, Playboy?
Give me your bearing.
Playboy?
Lost comms.
Fuck!
Connect me to CJSOTF.
Well, I know it’s unusual, Eileen. Just fucking connect me, okay?
So where is he?
No idea.
What’s the plan?
Drop some bombs, create a diversion, go in and get him.
Kill anyone that gets in our way.
Where do you want the bombs?
You’re the JTAC. You tell me.
Probably the best place would be along those cave entrances on this ridge line.
Space them out 15 minutes apart while we go in.
Sound good?
Sounds good.
Find Bishop, make our move when the first strike hits.
Second strike should hold their attention.
And the last one?
Mass effect.
Let’s turn those caves inside out.
Fuckin’ A, kid.
Fuckin’ A.
Yeah, I’m here. What do you got?
B1 full payload? That will do the job.
I will confirm the 9 line with Bone 0-1 when received.
Roger.
B1 in the air, Colonel.
Copy that. Nice work.
Reaper, this is Playboy.
Copy, Playboy. I’m here.
Okay. Game plan is to use CAS to strike a set of cave structures to the north of the compound as a diversion.
I need three attacks spaced approx 15 mikes apart starting at 1100.
Eleven hundred. Mark that.
First strike, 1100.
Intent for first two attacks is to hold their attention.
Final attack should have enough ordnance to neutralize all enemy in the caves.
Type three BOC.
November, Victor, 1-1-4-8-7-6-3-5.
Say again, Playboy. Say again.
November, Victor, 1-1-4-8-7-6-3-5. Over.
Copy.
Eyes on you.
Three strikes. Eleven hundred. Diversion.
Eleven fifteen, diversion.
Eleven thirty, we’re gonna light that shit up and blow it to fuck.
Confirm, Playboy.
Oh, fuck.
Battery’s dead.
We good?
Hope so.
Playboy, confirm?
Lost comms.
Fuck.
All right, we all know the plan.
You both did some fine work here today. Get out of here.
No, no, no, no, no.
We are not going anywhere.
I wasn’t asking. You’re done.
You’re ten hours over your eight-hour shift.
Okay, Reaper. Out of the chair.
Eat a bag of dicks, Hawkins.
Hawkins?
It’s Andrews.
Come on. Let me get you up.
No.
Exit the chair, Reaper.
There’s no fucking way I’m off this op.
No fucking way.
I got one KIA.
One MIA.
And I got two fucking nut jobs trying to take on an entire Abu Sayyaf camp.
That leaves one team, i.e. us, to make sure this whole thing doesn’t go to hell in a fucking hand basket.
You finished?
I’m not finished.
I can keep going.
Then I suggest you think very carefully about the next words that come out of your mouth, Captain.
Oh, come on, Virgil. You’re gonna pull rank on me?
You told me I could have this chair until the op was done.
Go and watch the basketball.
Sir, with all due respect, this is Reaper’s op. We should be allowed to…
I don’t recall asking your opinion, Staff Sergeant.
Well, maybe that’s your problem, Colonel.
I would strongly advise you to not go down the same rabbit hole as your partner here.
She did not say a word, Colonel.
Not a single word.
Exit the chair.
Exit the room, and I will do my best to forget this conversation ever happened.
Don’t fuck it up, Junior.
You got it.
First strike 1100. It’s just a diversion.
Second strike 11…
Captain!
I’m good. I’m good.
You’re dismissed.
Here we are.
Eyes.
One guy in the tent.
Two guys on the balcony.
What’s our time?
Twenty.
This is gonna get ugly.
I need you focused. Head on a swivel.
If you see something I don’t, you say ‘contact left, contact right.’
Somebody comes from behind us, you say ‘six.’
I’ll handle the rest.
Only shoot if it’s necessary. We got to keep this quiet for as long as we can.
For what it’s worth, you earned your tier one status today.
Does that mean I get paid more?
Fuck no. It just sounds cooler.
You ready?
Nope.
You?
Always.
Let’s do it.
Okay.
Fucker.
You good?
Yeah.
Alright.
He’s jammed.
Go, go, go, go!
Come on!
Gun right. Right!
Move! Move!
On me.
On you.
Contact left!
Drop down!
You good?
Fuck!
Fuck.
Oh, fuck!
Grenade!
Get down!
Hey, Sug.
Bishop.
This your idea of a rescue mission?
I think I got them right where I want ’em.
You look like ass.
Hey, how you doing, Bishop?
Talk to me.
Ah…
Air Force, I think we’re in a bad spot.
Yeah, we’re in a bad spot.
Hey!
Hey!
Hey, yo!
Hey, listen to me, man.
They’re gonna drop bombs on these caves. You understand?
Bombs on these caves.
If we don’t get out of here, we’re all gonna die.
You understand? Bombs on these caves.
Fuck!
Stupid fucks!
Stupid fucks!
Boeing 0-1, this is Sunburn 0-6. We’re tracking your position.
Be advised ETA to first drone strike, two mikes.
All right, let’s fucking rock and roll.
Zoom out 400 meters.
I think they know I’m not gonna last much longer.
Just… just… just hang on a second, all right, man?
I’m gonna figure out how to get us out of here.
I’m already out.
Just get Bishop and get yourselves out of here.
Okay?
Nah, you’re good, man. You’re good, you’re good.
Don’t fucking touch him!
Or I’ll fucking fucking fuck!
Fuck!
Fucking pieces of shit!
Come on!
Get your fucking hands off him!
Fucking coward.
Sugar?
Get your fucking hands off him!
Hashimi, you like that?
Sugar?
Oh, fuck.
Sugar?
I’m good.
Fuck!
Fuck!
Welcome to Guantanamo.
Go.
You know Japan invaded these lands in 1941.
Hm. Built these caves with the intent to stay but our Moro brothers defeated them very quickly. Hm.
You know this dam they built it was a very forward step.
Was it this blood washed from the land and into our mouths?
But not to me.
We answer to no one but ourselves.
We were having a fairly pleasant day.
Blessed by the…
Then, how you say?
Someone rains on our parade?
Removed one imperialist just to find another.
This is not the conversation we should be having right now.
No?
What should we talk about?
I told you.
There’s more bombs on the way.
Ah,
I’m not interested in your faceless bombs.
You see, real results are created face-to-face, interactions like what you and I are doing right here.
Speak!
Where are the other commandos located?
There’s no more. It’s just us!
Your jets are still in the area.
Someone must be communicating with them.
We were communicating with them.
Listen, there’s more strikes on the way.
If we don’t get out of here, we’re all fucking dust.
No! You are dust!
Fucking dust!
How does this feel?
To be this scared.
Too weak to do anything about your own death.
You may think that I do this without feeling anything.
That is wrong.
To kill affects me.
To embrace the brutality of this affects me.
And that is the difference between you and I.
I look a man in the eye, and I make my choice intimate.
The bomb!
Excuse me?
Sir?
I got this thing here I don’t even know…
I don’t even know if this is something that exists.
My wife’s written it down, so she might have got it wrong.
It sounds a little crazy, but, uh, I gotta ask, you know?
Do you have artisanal tree nut fermented plant-based cashew and tahini smoked vegan new cheese.
Is that a thing?
Yeah, right here.
Man after my own heart.
Huh. I would have bet money against that. Thank you very much.
All right, let’s fucking rock and roll.
Zoom out 400 meters.
It’s fucking showtime.
Ready to fire.
Bombs away.
Six, five, four, three, two, one.
Impact.
Holy shit.
You JSOC?
Can you walk?
Who are you?
Who are you?
Hey!
Fuck!
Fucking hell, Kinney.
You good?
Yeah, yeah.
Who the fuck’s that guy?
The asset…
I think.
Come on. We gotta move.
So soon?
Let’s go.
Which way?
I think it’s this way. Let’s keep moving.
Fuck.
Yeah.
Okay.
All right.
Sit here for a second. I’ll be right back.
Boeing 0-1, this is Sunburn 0-6. You are inbound to target. Five mikes.
Copy incoming. We’re hot. Let me know when I can cross extend at 7-9-8-4-0.
Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck.
Come on.
Fuck.
Barbeque creepy peanuts.
Yeah!
Come on!
Vegan sour cream.
Come on! Yeah!
Plant-based feta.
Oh, you motherfucker!
Fuck.
Come on, man.
Come on. Pick up the fucking phone.
Get the phone, Sergeant.
Sergeant!
Yes, sir.
Reaper. I need Reaper.
Reaper’s gone.
Try his cell…
Wait, wait. Hold on.
702-166-42… 00.
Yeah! Come on!
Wait, wait, wait! Hold on!
Hello?
Fuck!
6-4200.
Come on, man.
Pick up the phone.
I’m looking. I’m looking at all of the shelves. All right.
Hey, hold on.
No, I’m looking at…
It was a number I didn’t know.
I’m looking at all the shelves, but they got real Mexican, you know?
Cou… but with meat in it.
No, I’m not…
Baby, okay.
All right? It’s got meat in it.
Sorry, I shouldn’t have used the word real.
Sunburn 0-6, this is Boeing 0-1. Approaching target.
Come on. Move! Move!
Okay?
Tampon because–
I wanted to buy a degradable…
No problem. Just go right ahead.
Just–
what’s your problem?
Nothing.
Okay.
People is so aggressive…
Reaper, it’s Playboy. Abort. I need you to abort.
Abort the last strike. I need you to abort the last…!
Fuck!
Call SitComm.
I don’t understand.
Call SitComm, for fuck’s sake.
Calling SitComm.
Yes!
Come on!
Yeah!
Come on, motherfuckers. Answer the phone.
Lining up for the final run.
Come on. Call SitComm.
Come on! Come on!
Motherfucker, answer the fucking phone.
Come on!
Come on!
Oh, fuck it.
Fuck it!
Load 0-1 on final approach.
Come on.
Move! Move!
Right there.
Time to target– 30 seconds.
Guys!
Come on, move!
What the…
Impact 15 seconds.
Abort the strike!
We have payload. Ten seconds.
Seven… six… five… three, two, one…
Boeing 0-1, abort! Boeing 0-1, abort!
Do you copy?
What are you doing?
They copy?
Yeah.
The operator is still in the target area.
Bullshit.
Zoom in.
Zoom in to the caves where the strike was gonna be.
There he is. That’s him. That’s Playboy.
Sorry, man.
Goddamn, Reaper.
Who are you waving at?
A friend.
Fuck!
Who won the game?
Vols, baby.
Elite eight.
That’s wonderful, Colonel, congratulations.
It’s an excellent win for you and the great state of Tennessee.
That’s right.
I just called that phone five fucking times.
Ringer’s off again.
Now it wasn’t my pregnant wife.
But it was a life-or-death situation for a JTAC operator in the field.
Our job is communication!
Our priority is protecting the men and women who serve this country.
So if you don’t mind, can we get back on with the fucking job?
Hell you think you’re doing?
You can take that out of my active-duty bonuses, Colonel.
Hey, get some sleep.
See you in the morning.
See you then.
Uh–
You don’t own a tux, do you?
A tux?
I do not own a tux, no.
Okay.
Wedding is not black tie, right?
No, not black tie.
The wedding party is.
Are you gonna ask me to be a bridesmaid?
No, Reaper.
I was gonna ask if you want to walk me down the aisle.
You serious?
Yeah.
Wow.
That would be one of the greatest privileges of my life.
You know one thing I know one hundred percent for sure.
Your dad would be so proud of you.
Thank you.
So, what are we going to dance to?
Dance?
Yeah.
Oh, no, I have not thought about that yet.
Okay. Well, you got to pick a song and then just listen to my hands.
I’m gonna listen to your hands?
Oh, yeah. Yes, you are.
Oh, okay.
Whoa, okay.
Run this round my back.
This?
That way, I know where it’s coming.
That’s right. There you go.
Okay, what’s next?
Come back in and out.
Out.
And back to me.
Okay.
Yeah.
And then out.
Out.
This time around.
Give me the other hand.
Oh okay.
Walking over. Oh, around.
Around my back.
Beautiful.
You have done this many, many times before.
I’ve had a few Dosey Does.
Oh, you’re pretty good. You’re pretty good.
Any other dances. You know how to twerk?
To who? To twerk?
To twerk.
Uh, no. I don’t know how to twerk.
You better get practicing. Yeah.
