Harbin’s eyes open narrowly, then fully.
Harbin: Rocks. Comfy as always.
Helton: Yeah, I hear you, but better than sleeping with knock-out gas.
They both stand, stretch a moment, adjust their clothes, drink from water bottles, gage the little remaining, then lean up the slope to the open part of the entryway, listening closely. Noting but the faint breeze reaches their ears.
Helton: Well, not too much farther… let’s roll, then.
They scramble up the slope and out.
FADE TO BLACK
Mine
F ADE IN
EXT - DAY - Low rocky ridge
Helton and Harbin lie just below the crest of a ridge of gravel and rocks, peering over the top toward the mine. The sun is halfway to zenith. Their dust covered clothes blend into the rocks. In the near distance, against the far wall of a small valley is the prison mine operation. It is located where three steep-walled valleys converge. They see scattered tailing piles and a landing pad to one side with two large fliers, one medium, and two small two-person quad-rotors. No walls or fences can be seen, just industrial style buildings built against the rock face, a few outbuildings, one not far from the landing field, and a couple of conveyor belts coming out leading to large gravel piles. There are a few large pieces of earth-moving equipment parked in the shadows.
Harbin: No fence. That’ll make it easier.
Helton: Don’t need one. Where’d they run?
Harbin grunts concurrence as they look the place over.
Helton: We’ll need keys, likely from the building next to the field, then go for the biggest flier. OK, so we wait for dusk, sneak in over there on the right in the shadows.
Harbin: No.
Helton looks at him with cocked head, questioningly.
Harbin: In another hour or so, the rocks will be the same temperature as us, and we will hardly show up on thermal scanners. They won’t expect someone coming from this side, and they’d not expect someone to try to escape during the heat of the day, so they ’re not likely to see us in full daylight. Sun overhead means little shadow, too.
Helton: ( Sarcastically) Just walk up? I thought I was in charge.
Harbin: Of getting us here. Winning battles is what I do.
Helton: Hope you’re right.
Harbin: ( Grinning widely) So do I, Helton. So do I.
They carefully start backing down the ridge.
DISSOLVE TO
EXT - DAY - Gravel pile near the mine
The sun is directly overhead, shadows are almost nonexistent. Helton and Harbin stand at the foot of the gravely ridge, near the end.
Helton: Time. Let’s do this.
Harbin nods, hefts a baseball-sized rock and tosses it in the air, catches it, flexes his shoulders, and nods, a set look on his face.
They walk smoothly and boldly around the corner and across the open area for one of the outbuildings , their clothes blending into the everything-dust-colored buildings and background. They approach a door facing them, open it, and stride right in, Harbin leading the way, rock in hand.
CUT TO
INT - DAY - Well lit storage building
Helton closes the door silently behind them. Looking around, no one is obviously there. Crowding the warehouse are stacks of crates and barrels, and shelving with boxes, bins, and cases on them. Visibility is limited. To one side are a desk and a small walled cubicle with a closed door. Harbin holds up his hand to motion silence, and both listen intently. Nothing. Harbin motions for Helton to go left while he goes right. Moving quietly along their respective walls they see no one. Circling around and meeting back by the door, they shake their heads indicating nothing seen to the other. A desk sits near the door with a couple of screens (on one a paused movie, on another four CCTV images of outside the building and surrounding area, on the third a bunch of text in various windows) a handheld barcode scanner, and some generic office gear including a large pair of scissors. They look at each other and are about to speak when a flushing sound comes from the side cubicle.
Harbin: Rocks. Comfy as always.
Helton: Yeah, I hear you, but better than sleeping with knock-out gas.
They both stand, stretch a moment, adjust their clothes, drink from water bottles, gage the little remaining, then lean up the slope to the open part of the entryway, listening closely. Noting but the faint breeze reaches their ears.
Helton: Well, not too much farther… let’s roll, then.
They scramble up the slope and out.
FADE TO BLACK
Mine
F ADE IN
EXT - DAY - Low rocky ridge
Helton and Harbin lie just below the crest of a ridge of gravel and rocks, peering over the top toward the mine. The sun is halfway to zenith. Their dust covered clothes blend into the rocks. In the near distance, against the far wall of a small valley is the prison mine operation. It is located where three steep-walled valleys converge. They see scattered tailing piles and a landing pad to one side with two large fliers, one medium, and two small two-person quad-rotors. No walls or fences can be seen, just industrial style buildings built against the rock face, a few outbuildings, one not far from the landing field, and a couple of conveyor belts coming out leading to large gravel piles. There are a few large pieces of earth-moving equipment parked in the shadows.
Harbin: No fence. That’ll make it easier.
Helton: Don’t need one. Where’d they run?
Harbin grunts concurrence as they look the place over.
Helton: We’ll need keys, likely from the building next to the field, then go for the biggest flier. OK, so we wait for dusk, sneak in over there on the right in the shadows.
Harbin: No.
Helton looks at him with cocked head, questioningly.
Harbin: In another hour or so, the rocks will be the same temperature as us, and we will hardly show up on thermal scanners. They won’t expect someone coming from this side, and they’d not expect someone to try to escape during the heat of the day, so they ’re not likely to see us in full daylight. Sun overhead means little shadow, too.
Helton: ( Sarcastically) Just walk up? I thought I was in charge.
Harbin: Of getting us here. Winning battles is what I do.
Helton: Hope you’re right.
Harbin: ( Grinning widely) So do I, Helton. So do I.
They carefully start backing down the ridge.
DISSOLVE TO
EXT - DAY - Gravel pile near the mine
The sun is directly overhead, shadows are almost nonexistent. Helton and Harbin stand at the foot of the gravely ridge, near the end.
Helton: Time. Let’s do this.
Harbin nods, hefts a baseball-sized rock and tosses it in the air, catches it, flexes his shoulders, and nods, a set look on his face.
They walk smoothly and boldly around the corner and across the open area for one of the outbuildings , their clothes blending into the everything-dust-colored buildings and background. They approach a door facing them, open it, and stride right in, Harbin leading the way, rock in hand.
CUT TO
INT - DAY - Well lit storage building
Helton closes the door silently behind them. Looking around, no one is obviously there. Crowding the warehouse are stacks of crates and barrels, and shelving with boxes, bins, and cases on them. Visibility is limited. To one side are a desk and a small walled cubicle with a closed door. Harbin holds up his hand to motion silence, and both listen intently. Nothing. Harbin motions for Helton to go left while he goes right. Moving quietly along their respective walls they see no one. Circling around and meeting back by the door, they shake their heads indicating nothing seen to the other. A desk sits near the door with a couple of screens (on one a paused movie, on another four CCTV images of outside the building and surrounding area, on the third a bunch of text in various windows) a handheld barcode scanner, and some generic office gear including a large pair of scissors. They look at each other and are about to speak when a flushing sound comes from the side cubicle.
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