ANNA
Anna.

SCHAEFER
Anna.  He's hunting us.  You
know that?

She nods.  With a sudden movement he slices through
her bonds.

DILLON
What the hell do you think
you're doing?

SCHAEFER
We're going to need everyone.                      *

DILLON
What are you talking about?
We'll be out of here in ten                        *
minutes.                                           *

SCHAEFER
We're not going.                                   *

DILLON
That rendezvous is ten maybe                       *
twelve miles, at most!  We're                      *
almost home.  But the chopper                      *
won't wait.

Schaefer turns to face him.

SCHAEFER
Dillon...This thing doesn't                        *
care who we are, who she is.
We make a stand or there won't                     *
be anyone left to make that                        *
chopper.

Dillon stares back, not wanting to hear what he
already knows to be true.

Anna touches Schaefer's arm.

ANNA
There is something else.  When
the big man was killed, you
must have wounded it.
(pause)
It's blood was on the leaves.

(CONTINUED)

------------------------------------------------------------------------

REVISED - "HUNTER" - 5/6/86                           70
*
114     CONTINUED:  (4)                                      114

She touches her pant leg, the stain is faded but still
there.  Schaefer turns to Dillon.

SCHAEFER
If it bleeds, we can kill it.

115     EXT. ENCAMPMENT - MORNING (LATER)                    115

Anna at the base of the rocks scans the jungle with
binoculars watching the tree line.  Mac moves past her,
uncoiling a trip wire linking up four CLAYMORE mines
hidden at various points with leaves and foliage.  In
a tree at the edge of the clearing, Billy tosses an
uncoiling roll of wire to Ramirez who attaches it to
a GRENADE, wedged it the crouch of a tree.

Wires attached to GRENADES and CLAYMORE MINES lead off
through the underbrush and trees leaving a long, unmined
corridor leading from the camp and into the jungle.

At the corridor's end, where the rocks merge with
the jungle, Schaefer hauls down on a HEAVY VINE,
straining with every ounce of strength, his muscles
bulging, while Dillon takes up the slack of the vine

(CONTINUED)

------------------------------------------------------------------------

REVISED - "HUNTER" - 4/29/86                          71

115     CONTINUED:                                           115

around the base of a tree.  The vine is attached to a
forty foot SAPLING, arcing closer to the ground in a
gigantic bow with every pull, CREAKING and GROANING
with tension.  With a last mighty heave, Schaefer draws
the tree almost within reach, gesturing to Dillon to        *
tie it off, who does.                                       *

DILLON
(straining)
I'm tellin' you, this little                       *
'boy scout' stunt is a                             *
Godamned waste of time.                            *
(stands)                                    *
We've got to get the hell out                      *
of here, now, while we've still                    *
got the chance.

Ignoring him, Schaefer rapidly drags into position a
NET crudely woven of differing sizes of vines, their
LEAVES still attached.  He carefully begins to cover
the net with leaves and debris.  Dillon watches him
in growing frustration as Schaefer moves quickly,
picking up a FRAMEWORK of STICKS he has tied together,
a TREADLE-SPRING TRIGGER.  He holds up the framework,
hurriedly examining his work before placing it on
the ground.

SCHAEFER
He'll be looking for the trip wires.
If we're lucky, he won't see this.

DILLON
Now what, Dutch.  You going to
send your mystery guest an
invitation?

Schaefer turns, there is a touch of fear in Dillon's
eyes.

SCHAEFER
You're catching on, Dillon.

Schaefer returns to his work on the net and trigger.        *

------------------------------------------------------------------------

REVISED - "HUNTER" - 1/30/87                          72
*
116     EXT. ENCAMPMENT - DAY (LATER)                        116

Morning passes.  Fog lifts as the sun creeps into the jungle.
Insects swarm and are fed upon by BIRDS and other predators.

At the entranceway to the rock outcropping, the net and trigger
are hidden beneath the leaves, the framework of the trigger
bulging with tension from the straining vine attached to the
bent tree.

At the other end of the corridor, several meters above the
jungle floor, Schaefer and his team, heavily camouflaged,
nearly invisible, lie hidden, waiting.  The team members, as
if hypnotized by the BUZZING din, stare into the jungle,
fixated, alert.

ANNA while waiting at the net:

ANNA
(hushed)
When I was little we find a man --
(she struggles for
the words)
-- like a butcher.  The old ones in
the village cross themselves and
whisper crazy things.  'Demonio,
cazador de trofoes...Only the hottest
times of the hottest years...'  Crazy
things...This year is grows hot.  And
we begin finding our men.  We find
them sometimes without their skin.
Sometimes...much, much worse.  Cazador
de trofoes...means the demon who takes
trophies.

SLOW RACK TO Schaefer's face.  Ashen.  HOLD.  Suddenly an
EERIE SILENCE moves over the jungle:

He whips his face forward.  The silence is SHATTERED by a
bird flapping from the brush.

Schaefer sits back and scratches his head, frustrated and a
little chagrined.

DILLON
(o.s.)
What'll you try next -- cheese?

Schaefer glares at him.  Turns to go --

He stands and begins to move low to the ground toward the
waiting snare.

(CONTINUED)

------------------------------------------------------------------------

REVISED - "THE HUNTER" - 1/27/87                      72-A
*
116 Cont.

Behind him, sighting down their well-hidden gun barrels, the
others scan the jungle, alert for the slightest sound or
movement, covering him.

Schaefer reaches the trap, carefully skirting the trigger
hidden beneath the leaves.  He reaches the end of the corridor,
moving out into the jungle.  He moves further away from the
others, the silence crushing down on him.  He stops and waits,
sweat pouring down his face, his finger tightening on the
trigger of his M-203, eyes scanning the jungle.

He turns his back on the jungle, waiting.  Nothing.  He moves
back towards the corridor, reaching the net, again waiting,
listening, sensing.  Nothing.  He turns around, looking at the
jungle one last time, his face measuring defeat and then, with
carefully, measured strides, he walks back to the camp.

Schaefer looks at Billy who shakes his head in puzzlement.
Nearby, Dillon starts to rise.

DILLON
(low; whispered)
Satisfied?  Now let's get the hell
out...

(CONTINUED)

------------------------------------------------------------------------

73

116     CONTINUED:                                           116

Suddenly, behind Schaefer at the end of the corridor,
with a resounding SWISH and SNAP, the NET explodes off
the floor of the jungle in a hail of leaves and sticks,
rocketing upward into the treetops.

Schaefer spins, the others leaping to their feet as
they SEE the net as it tears into the treetops, a
large struggling bulge trapped within as a long,
unearthly TRILLING SCREAM ECHOES through the jungle.

Schaefer and the others charge from the rocks towards
the jungle and the bobbing net, their weapons ready.
Anna remains behind, watching terrified from the rocks.

They arrive under the net, raising their weapons to
fire...but before they can fire the entire net
EXPLODES into a flurry of leaves, twigs, vines, dirt
and a FLASH of PULSATING CRIMSON.

117     EXT. HUNTER'S HAND AND ARM - DAY                     117

As the Hunter leaps from the net his WEAPON activates,
his arm slashing out, severing a THICK LIMB of the
spreading tree capony, entangled in vines.

118     EXT. THE TEAM - DAY                                  118

The limb CRASHES down from the trees, Schaefer, Dillon,
Billy and Mac Diving for safety.  But Ramirez, following
the Hunter's leap, SEES too late the pendular movement
of the severed limb and is struck a THUDDING blow in
the ribs, which lifts him off his feet, hurling him
backwards like a rag doll, his shirt torn open,
exposing a BLOODY WOUND.

As Anna runs to Ramirez's side the others, still
stunned, look upward, frozen in shock SEEING:  THE
HUNTER, clinging to a side of a tree, flushed bright
crimson.

Dillis is dumbfounded, like the others, rooted to the
ground staring upward.

DILLON
What is God's name...?

The Hunter utters an unearthly SNARL and HISS from his
open mouth as an instant later his camouflage resumes
and he vanishes from sight...a rapid, furtive movement
through the trees.

(CONTINUED)

------------------------------------------------------------------------

74

118     CONTINUED:                                           118

Mac OPENS FIRE with the M-60, the others joining in,
shredding the foliage, but they know the creature is
gone.

With a SHOUT, Mac races into the jungle, in pursuit
of the Hunter.

SCHAEFER
Mac!

Schaefer hurriedly ejects the spent clip from the M-203,
slamming in a new one.  He shouts an order to Billy.

SCHAEFER
(to Billy)
Get Ramirez on his feet!  Take
the girl and get the hell out
of here!

He turns to run after Mac.  Dillon steps in front of
him, putting his hand on Schaefer's chest.

DILLON
No way, Dutch.  I'm going.
You get these people and get
the hell out of here.

SCHAEFER
This isn't your style, Dillon.

DILLON
Guess I've picked up some bad
habits from you, Dutch.  Now
don't argue with me, you know
I'm right.  Get to that
chopper and hold it for us.
We'll be along.

SCHAEFER
You know you can't win this
one.

Dillon stares at him.

DILLON
You know me, Dutch, I never
did know when to quit.

Dillon turns and begins to move out.

(CONTINUED)

------------------------------------------------------------------------

75

118     CONTINUED:  (2)                                      118

SCHAEFER
Dillon!

Dillon turns.  Picking up the spare MP-5, Schaefer
tosses the weapon to Dillon, who grabs it with one
hand.  They share a look, knowing this is farewell.

SCHAEFER
I'll see you there.

DILLON
Right behind you.

Hefting both weapons at the hip he runs into the jungle
after Mac.  Schaefer watches him leave.  He breaks and
goes to Ramirez, attended by Anna and Billy, who is now
sitting up, holding his ribs and gasping for breath.

BILLY
He's busted up, bad, Major.

RAMIREZ
(gasping)
I can make it, Major.

Schaefer lifts him to his feet, supporting him.

SCHAEFER
Come on, Poncho, we're getting
out of here.
(to Billy)
Billy, take the radio, leave
the rest.  Come on!

119     EXT. MAC - DAY                                       119

Creeping low to the ground, his eyes searching through
the trees.

MAC
(whispered)
Come on, you motherfucker!

120     EXT. DILLON - DAY                                    120

Moving through the underbrush HEARS a slight RUSTLING
in the foliage.  Mac?  He strains to locate the source
of the movement.