Fire Birds (1990) Movie Script
We were working with local
military anti-drug forces.
A search and destroy mission
on cocaine labs.
Lt. Dobbs and I had been training
local pilots in Cobras
for their own strike forces
against the cartel.
Lead, this is Snake Two
entering sector 4079.
Roger. Advise collab ops of our position.
Wilco, Dobbs.
How's the view up front, buddy?
I'm not crazy about it, man.
I'll be glad when we get out of this canyon.
I was flying wing that day
with Captain Tejada.
Lt. Dobbs, the other American
was with Captain Mendez,
the flight leader in the front Cobra.
Between the two Cobras
was a Black Hawk helicopter
with a support team of American
and South American DEA agents.
It was our fourth mission as a team,
and we'd work well together.
We were entering a sector
we've never been before.
It was rumored among the locals that this
was an area of offensive cartel activity.
But we were used to such rumors.
We were 5 miles from the objective,
when we saw the Scorpion
attack helicopter.
Dobbs, bogey at your 12 o'clock!
Dobbs!
Snake Two to Black Hawk,
get the hell out of there.
The Black Hawk began evasive action,
but the Scorpion was too fast,
heavily armed, and hard to find.
The pilot was better than anyone
I'd ever seen before.
I tried to pull the Scorpion
away from the Black Hawk,
but to no use.
He was a cold killer.
Tejada! Tejada!
Wake up, goddamn it!
I took the controls, put her in a dive,
and crossed over the top of the
Scorpion before he could fire.
I made it out of the area.
We said the cartel was up to something.
I'm not blaming anybody.
Last time I looked,
we were all on the same side.
We have some decisions to make.
Thank you, Mr. Preston. That will be all.
May I say something, sir?
Go ahead.
I volunteered to fly with these
local anti-drug forces, sir.
And I watched the men in those
choppers put their lives in the line
for their families and their country
every day.
The cartel has them outpaid,
outmanned, and outgunned.
But knowing that, they still went out.
They didn't stand a chance.
They're heroes,
and they should be avenged.
It's a little more complicated than that.
I beg your pardon, sir,
but I think it's very simple.
They killed our people
and they killed our friends.
Their drugs kill Americans every day.
It's a war, and it's our duty to fight.
Thank you, Mr. Preston. You're excused.
Gentlemen, does anyone else in
this room feel as frustrated as I do?
We all do, Oscar,
but it's a complex problem.
I disagree.
We have an executive mandate
to stop the drug cartel
and we're sitting on our hands.
That pilot out there has
the clearest take on this mess.
We are at war, and we deal
with the problem as such.
So what are we gonna do?
Go back to the same sort of operation?
Sir, the DEA is fighting a war
with its hands tied, and we're losing it.
Not anymore.
General Olcott, I want the army
to ready a task force immediately.
- I want that operation taken out.
- Yes, sir.
My Apache crews are trained
for ground support, General,
they're just not up to speed
for air-to-air combat.
If this enemy helicopter
is half as good as we hear,
I'm gonna need help to bring him down.
Anything you want.
Well, I need as much information
as I can get on this operation.
Who is this enemy pilot,
and what's his support like?
And I've got to have
Brad Little and his team.
They're down at Fort Rooker
right now training rookies.
I want them at Fort Mitchell
as soon as possible.
This is a need-to-know operation.
All reports eyes-only to me.
And that Preston...
He impressed them in there.
See if you can keep him in the mix.
Will do, General.
- Preston?
- Yes, Sir.
You've seen this bogey work.
Can the Apache stand up to it?
It is the only aircraft that will, sir.
How soon can you qualify on the bird?
I've completed the academics,
and I'm scheduled to start hands-on
as soon as I get back to Fort Mitchell.
General Olcott wants you in this mission.
Now, I believe in you, son.
Can you handle it?
You can count on me, sir.
At ease. Take a seat.
Gentlemen, we've all got a lot
to do today, so I'll make this brief.
It's my honor to introduce
our new combat instructor pilot,
Chief Warrant Officer Brad Little.
He's here to bring us up to speed
on air combat manoeuvres.
Mr. Little.
You men know all there is to know
about air-to-ground technique.
Starting right now, you have
a new objective in your lives,
and this new objective is to become
masters of air-to-air combat tactics.
When we have mastered these tactics,
we will use them to seek out,
and confront the forces of evil,
and kill them deader than hell.
We're lucky men.
We're in the United States Army
and we face the opportunity of a lifetime.
I do not expect you to watse or throw
away or neglect this opportunity.
I expect you to improve
every shining minute of my time
by becoming the best air-to-air
helicopter pilots in the whole wide world.
You will fight as teams
of gunners and pilots,
each more dependent on the other
than they were on their own mama.
Sir!
Our mission has the
highest national priority.
I can't stress that enough.
We're going against an enemy,
who's defending his own territory.
We've got to get up to speed immediately.
The clock is running, folks,
and it's running fast.
Group! Attention!
Carry on.
Looks like a fine group of aviators, sir.
They are that, Brad.
That kid, Preston, showed
extraordinary courage in South America.
I want you to pay a special attention to him.
It's beautiful in an ugly kind of way.
Somebody called it a flying race car
with guns, but that's bullshit.
It's not that simple.
Here...
Put your hands here, here and there,
put your feet here, here, here and here,
and here, do not step here or there.
That's it. Crawl right on in there, lad.
Riding in the gunner's seat in this aircraft
at 150 knots through the treetops
is like having your ass strapped
to the nose of a bullet.
Basically, you will be flying
like a bat out of hell,
you will be shooting at the enemy,
you will be jiggling around
dodging bullets, and missiles,
and rocks, and arrows,
and spears, and ducks, and geese.
Sounds like a full-time job.
Boy, you're gonna be as busy
as a three-peckered goat.
So let's get to it.
You really get into this, don't you, sir?
- I love it to death.
- I can tell.
Heaven, here we come.
So, what do we do first?
Gee, is this a quiz, sir?
Your whole life's a quiz, young man.
Now, you tell me the first
order of business, hot shot.
Program the inertial nav systems,
enter the laser codes,
punch in target and Doppler coordinates,
initialize weapon systems,
and optimize FLIR sensors.
Okay, perfect. Well done.
Now, let's see if the damn thing will start.
It has a roll rate of 150 degrees per second,
so if you need to duck, dive, or disappear,
this buggy will do it before
your brain can think it up.
We could crash this aircraft
at 20 G's and survive,
but I am not gonna prove it to you.
Darn!
You got missiles on this thing that can
take out a door at 5 miles without knocking.
But in air-to-air combat,
your best weapon is agility,
and this gunship is agile,
mobile, and hostile.
That was great.
- How's the ride up there, Preston?
- Unreal!
Good!
God!
Ordinarily what we'll do is hide in a hole and
cause things that are far away to blow up.
Your new trick is to move like a thief,
keep you nose down,
then come out of nowhere,
and blow your enemy to pieces.
Sound like fun?
- Yeah.
- Good.
- Sir...
- Yeah?
That was totally cool.
I'd marry that thing.
You're as good a pilot as they say you are,
I'll give away the bride. Buzzard!
I want you to meet Jake Preston.
He's part of the Apache task force.
This is Scott Buzz, my chief scout IP,
and Billie Guthrie, his co-pilot.
Billie Lee Guthrie.
I think I've heard of you.
How you doing?
I do fine.
How about a drink this evening?
Jake, not a chance.
"Not a chance."
- How much flight time did you log, Buzzard?
- 2.3.
- What?
- 2.3, sir!
2.3.
You have a problem with women
in the army, Preston?
Not with all of them, sir.
Just that one.
I'll see you at 0700.
The cartel has made the decision
to go on the offensive
and expand their operation
into neighboring countries.
They've brought in Cuban arms,
Cuban advisory team,
and they've hired this man, Eric Stoller,
a crack helicopter attack pilot
and international mercenary,
to ride shotgun on their missions.
He received his terrorist training
in Europe and North Korea.
Now he sells his expertise
to the highest bidder.
In this tape, our DEA team
thought they had Stoller cornered,
but it was a setup.
Stoller acted as a decoy and drew them in.
There's a booby-trapped bomb
waiting for those men.
Watch for the box
at the bottom of the screen.
Everyone in Washington
knows what we're up against.
This guy's a killer.
We need to support the DEA,
and that means dealing
with Stoller air-to-air.
Sir, I'd like to be considered
for the Apache task force, sir.
Forget about it, Brad. I need you here.
Nobody better in the Apache than I am, sir.
I agree. That why it's your job to convey
that knowledge and experience
to these young pilots.
Time comes to use the experience.
I want to fly this mission, sir.
- Noted. Is Janet joining you?
- Yes, sir. She's in the children ride this afternoon.
- And you want to fly and get shot at?
- Affirmative. Yes, sir!
Brad, we can't afford to lose you.
- Just one drink.
- I don't want to drink.
Oh, honey, it's your birthday.
Let's have a little fun.
I'm too old to have fun. I'm 40 years old,
and I want to go home.
At ease, Little. Come on.
On my birthday I consider everybody,
but the whole family gets to do
what they want to do on their birthday,
except for Brad.
Surprise!
Oh, no! No!
There you go.
Go for it.
This is really stupid.
So, how about that drink now?
Interested?
No, thanks.
# For he's a jolly good fellow #
- No, Billie.
- # For he's a jolly good fellow #
# For he's a jolly good fellow #
# Which nobody can deny ##
Welcome to the future, lads.
Descend the stairway and turn right.
At the first platform,
enter the big black box.
Make ready for war.
Want some strawberry gum, Breaker?
- No, thanks.
- Little?
How about you? Strawberry gum?
No.
It's delicious.
Come on, Jake.
Gentlemen, this simulator will do
anything the Apache will do.
It will also do anything your enemy will do.
Good, because I have
a pocket full of quarters.
Let's go play.
- Sgt., start up "X-ray" and crank it.
- Yes, sir.
Boys, the first program is called "X-ray".
We're gonna start slow.
All babies need to crawl before they walk.
All right. All systems are up.
The pilot has the controls.
Proceed along route "Blue". Remember,
the name of the game is surprise.
Gentlemen, stay low,
use the terrain for cover,
then pop up and nail your targets.
There's a town on the other side
of those mountains.
Locate same and recon for targets.
Hang in there, Breaker.
Let's see what this baby can do.
Looks like a quiet Sunday afternoon to me.
That's a negative.
We dialed in 9:00 a.m. Monday morning,
and we're open for business.
Heads up! Mad turtle on your 11:00.
Missile laser locked in. Bye-bye!
Good shooting, Breaker.
Hey, you're talking to a legend.
A world of pigeons out there.
I hunt them...
you shoot them.
How are we doing, sir?
You're looking good, gentlemen.
We'll take it up a notch.
Resume your original heading
and proceed up the river bed.
Higgins, move it up to "Yankee" program.
The schedule only calls for "X-ray", sir.
- I'm changing the schedule, Higgins.
- Yes, sir.
All right...
Check out the highway on your 3 o'clock
for suspected enemy ground threat.
- I am the greatest.
- Go, Jake, go!
All right, free game!
I am the greatest.
That pilot's good.
Yes, he's good. He's very, very, very good.
Ooh! I've played them before,
but nothing like this!
All right. So much for the warm-up,
gentlemen.
You now have air-to-air threat
in your sector.
I am the greatest.
I am the greatest.
I am the greatest!
I am the greatest!
I am the greatest!
Sgt., crank this up to "Zulu".
Pardon, sir. "Zulu"'s for experts, sir.
Hold the exercise.
All these boys are experts, Higins.
If you keep on making me
tell you things twice,
I'm gonna have you washing windshields.
We're back in bogey now, boys.
Watch the wires, or we're french fries.
Nice view on your deuce, Preston.
- Moose coming up quick.
- Oh, damn!
Nose coming up.
Muscle's on. Smoke 'em with fast movement!
Shoot 'em, blast 'em, nab 'em, grab 'em,
shake 'em, bake 'em, cook 'em, clean 'em,
close 'em, broil 'em, kick 'em, nab 'em,
twist 'em, bro!
All gone! Bye-bye!
It's very impressive, gentlemen.
Let's see how well you fly
with your monocles down.
I need to know if we can pump
all the information the computers will hold
through your eyes and
into your little bird brains.
It's a bit different.
This is unbelievable!
Let's go get them, Jake.
Come on. Working.
Working! Come on!
- Come on, Jake, what's wrong?
- I can't focus.
- Lock him now!
- Almost! Almost!
- There!
- Yeah, we got 'em. Wax 'em! Come on!
Watch those wires, kid.
Wax 'em now!
Goddamn it.
It's okay, Jake.
Well, don't worry about it, boys.
It's only a video game.
None of this is real.
It's just a big toy the army built
for your personal amusement.
While you're having so much fun,
try to make believe they just
notified your next of kin.
Now get out of there.
I think we're pushing these guys
a little too hard, sir.
Oh, I don't know about you, Higgins,
but I am.
I want you to make sure
you've clamped the top of the rotor.
- You can tell...
- Sharon?
...if you can get it to click,
you know what I mean?
- Hey!
- Yeah, you can get it to click.
- Do you know where Billie is?
- Like that.
How do I know she wants to see you?
You don't know.
So why don't you tell me where she is,
and I'll go over there
and give her the choice.
- The laundromat.
- The laundromat.
Well, that's just Jim-dandy.
- Breaker?
- Yeah, I'll see you later, Jake.
- What are you doing here?
- I owe you a congratulations.
You got what you wanted.
You got your wings.
A mere 2 years of my life.
A D-model maintenance test pilot no less.
- Told you I'd do it.
- Yep.
So...
- Was it worth the price?
- What price?
Us, remember?
Yeah, I remember.
That's all behind us now.
The main thing is that we're here together,
we're seeing each other every day,
and you look really sexy in that skirt,
which is why I think we should
give it another chance.
- I don't think so, Jake.
- Why not?
Because I don't want to
set myself up for that again.
- Can't we, at least, be friends?
- Yeah.
- We can just be best of friends.
- Good.
What are you doing?
A kiss! It's a tradition for friends
to seal a bargain with a kiss.
The tradition is a handshake.
You can't resist me.
I can try.
Aren't you forgetting something?
You keep them.
- Good morning.
- Morning.
- Morning, Chief Little.
- Morning.
- Yo, Chief!
- Morning.
- Good pacing, sir!
- All right. Morning.
- Beautiful day, sir!
- All right. - Sir!
Rules of engagement...
1. Whoever sees the other first
is the winner.
2. Whoever gets seen first is toast.
The name of the game here,
gentlemen, is surprise.
The land mass behind which
you can hide is your friend.
The open sky in which
you cannot hide is your enemy.
If you remember anything at all,
remember this...
Once a helicopter battle has been
engaged, somebody is gonna die.
You boys do not have the speed
to run from a fight.
When you engage, you must bring the nose
of your aircraft to bear on the bogey.
Unmasking, pop-ups,
pedal turns, hovers,
sideward flight, could all be combined
to effect your nose-on position.
Put your weapons system on the target.
The optimum attack position is...
- Above and behind on a 6 o'clcok.
- Good.
- The optimum kill shot is...
- Down through the rotor blades.
Good. Some of you boys
have been paying attention.
I thought you were all sitting there
dreaming about chasing women.
Get out of here. Dismissed.
Have fun, stay out of trouble.
What kind of women
do you think come here?
I don't know. Strippers, scandalous women.
You know, the kind that you like, Breaker.
Then you, too, Jake.
Because there's Billie.
- Excuse me.
- Hey.
Back off, slick.
I just want to dance with the lady, partner.
Well, get in line, friend.
While the music's playing, she's mine.
When it stops, I'll let her go.
Now beat it, before I whip your ass.
You wouldn't get between
a man and his fiance, would you?
Oh, Jake!
Come on, boy, take your best shot.
Billie.
Hey.
Stay away from me, Jake.
Hey skirty cat, I just wanted
to dance with you.
I'm not a piece of steak
for you two to fight over.
Understand?
We don't go out together anymore,
remember?
That's going to change.
It didn't work before,
and it's gonna work now?
- Too many things haven't changed.
- Like what?
Like that Neanderthal crap back there.
"Me man, you woman."
I am not Jane of the jungle.
I thought it was kind of cavalier, myself.
Jake, I think you want me to stay
home and have babies and cook.
Well, I mean, I did.
What's wrong with babies
and cooking, Billie?
I mean it's a tradition.
My mother did that.
Your mother didn't fly helicopters.
Too many things haven't changed.
You're right, Billie Lee. She never flew
helicopters. What else hasn't changed?
- We fight all the time.
- We always make up.
Because I always wanted to.
You still care about me, don't you?
I want you to stop this.
I'm going.
- I have a low level flight test at 0500.
- Don't you?
Oh, Jake. So what if I do?
You think it changes anything?
Intelligence reports the site will be
fully functional within a few days.
It has already become
the headquarters for their operation.
A strip definitely would
support an attack force,
large transports, even fighter aircraft.
The other reason for accelerating
our plan is this information.
These were taken just a few days ago.
All the major players in the cartel
have suddenly disappeared.
Intelligence believes that they
will show up at this airstrip.
Your Apaches had better be
ready to go on short notice.
Will do, General.
The crew and the team assignments are...
Preston and Breaker with Guthrie,
Davis and Proctor go with me,
Rives and Tippet with Wade.
All right, listen up, gun bunnies...
Straight from the buzz man.
Just like Indian scouts in the old days,
we're the modern day equivalent,
your eyes and your ears.
The folks who stick their necks
out there to see what's out there,
so you can shoot it down
and be the heroes.
Preston get your brains out of your pants.
As forward observer, I can find a target
and get coordinates to you fast.
Let's talk about us instead.
No! This important, Jake.
To prevent radio detection,
we're set up with ATHS
direct to your video display.
I've got a display of your tail
that is just mind-boggling.
Think of us scouts as extensions
of your own sight in the air.
Mmm, I think I like that.
You only have eyes for me.
You will need reconnaissance
going into battle, Jake.
For example, with our laser designator,
we can paint your target while
you're hidden in some canyon,
so you can nail it from cover
without ever being seen.
I'd love to nail it.
In an emergency,
it's possible to distract the adversary,
or temporarily blind him with the laser.
- Watch this Breaker.
- Let's get serious.
- Jake, where are you?
- I remember you like me on top.
Jake, you still got your brains
in your cockpit?
That's because it's easier
to fly that way, honey.
Loaded and ready to fire.
Jake, we've both been there before
when those guns just didn't go off.
Don't worry about that, baby.
So how about that drink tonight?
Man, you never let up, do you?
Jake, let's get ahold of ourselves.
I've got ahold of myself.
Good. Then you don't need me.
Have fun with yourselves, boys.
Billie?
- Where'd she go?
- You try and catch me, Jake.
That darn girl disappeared, Breaker.
That looks like she's got you, buddy.
She sure does, Breaker. She sure does.
I see you took Preston
and his gunner up to "Zulu".
Oh, yeah. Why not?
- Had a hell of a score.
- He's a hell of a pilot.
Sir, has a decision been reached
on my request to join the task force?
Brad, I'm sorry.
You're too important to this program,
and combat's a young man's game.
I'm the best you've got.
It wasn't easy for me, either, partner.
Now, give it up.
- Hi.
- Hi, there.
Hey, you wanna go a couple of rounds?
- No. No, thanks.
- No?
How about you, Breaker? You box?
No, sir. That kind of stuff scares me.
I'm more into cooking and cleaning.
"Cooking and cleaning."
Hey, you're dropping your right there
with your jab.
You leave yourself wide open
for the counter.
- I don't think so.
- Oh, yeah.
Wide open. That's the way I see it.
And you're talking to the former
light heavyweight champion
of South Eastern Arizona
State University, 1969...
intramural.
You're in a world of trouble now, Preston.
Come on, let's go.
Okay, a couple of rounds.
Show me those keenly-honed reflexes,
young man.
I wanna see those catlike moves.
Ready for some coffee?
Mm-hm.
Slept in this morning, huh?
Mm-hm.
Honey, what happened?
Nothing. My back's a little sore.
No, about your face.
What'd you do to your eye?
I hit it.
- With what? A 2x4?
- No.
Boxing a little down at the gym.
Who with? Mike Tyson?
Ha, ha, ha. How much time do I have?
- 10 minutes. You want some cereal?
- No, no.
- I'll get something later.
- Okay.
Here.
Are you sure you're okay?
I'm fine, okay? Just fine. I'm a little sore.
Maybe I pulled a muscle or something.
Are you sure?
For God's sake, Jenny,
you'd think I had my dick shot off.
Oh, I'd better check, don't you think?
Yeah, you better see for yourself, darling.
- Good morning, sir.
- Good morning.
- Everything cool?
- Totally cool.
Good.
Gentlemen, we have some snapshots
here today of a very special individual.
His name is Eric Stoller.
Charming, isn't he?
Here he is on one of his better days.
This man kills people for money,
and someone has paid him to kill you.
In air-to-air combat, he has no equal.
His instrument of choice
is the Scorpion tactical assault helicopter.
Don't let the size of this aircraft fool you.
Because of its speed and agility,
it is one of the most deadly things
you will ever see in the sky.
Put this personality into this machine,
and if you blink up there, people,
you are in the body bag.
On the local scene, law enforcement agencies
from three counties moved in unison today
in a series of sweeping raids
of suspected crack houses.
The officers say that despite
the 24 arrests made today
and the large drug bust made last week,
which netted over $500,000
in cash and cocaine,
they are overwhelmed by the
sheer massiveness of a problem
that appears to have no end.
Dobbs, bogey at your 12 o'clock!
Dobbs!
- Well, good morning.
- Good morning.
Eat your Wheaties this morning, boy?
- Two bowls, sir.
- Good.
Good.
- All right, welcome to the bag.
- Thank you.
You'll be flying in total darkness completely
dependent on your sighting system.
- Do your homework last night?
- Yes, sir.
Good.
Lights out.
It's very dark.
All right, nice and easy. Nice and easy.
Try to keep the airplane level
and the velocity vector centered.
You're sliding left.
Don't second-guess the equipment.
Go with your data, maintain your heading.
What you see throught the air
with your right eye,
should be coordinated with what you see
on the video screen with your left eye.
I want you to look right 70 degrees.
Tell me what you see.
Where are you taking us, Preston?
Do not turn the airplane, turn your head.
Maintain your heading.
Don't fail me, son. You've got us close
enough to these rocks to count lizards.
Maintain your heading. I do not want to
smack that canyon wall, if it's okay with you.
I can't focus.
I didn't know the aircraft was turning.
That canyon wall is your line of sight,
not the heading of your aircraft.
Now, come to a heading of 240.
Drop us down to 300 feet.
Come on, come on.
You gotta cross-check
your picture with your data.
Keep your eye moving. Goddamn!
Where's the cocksure
sky jock I had last week?
You're yawing, man.
- Step on the ball and trim it up.
- I'm working on it.
Now level-off, come to a heading 200.
See that big rock out there?
Do you see that big rock out there?
Preston, do you see that big hogging
airplane killing rock out there?
Yes, goddamn it, I see it!
What the hell do you want me to do with it?!
Take it easy, son. I want you to approach
that chimney rock on exactly this heading
until you are within what
you think is 500 feet of it.
Then cross left in front of it on heading 170
climbing out at 500 feet
to clear the canyon rim.
- Are you clear on that?
- Yeah.
Well, do it, Preston. Do it!
- You got a turn coming up. Make your turn!
- I am.
- Make your turn.
- I am. I'm doing it.
Yeah, but you're doing it ugly, kid.
Watch yourself!
I'm turning.
- Turn. You're closing on it.
- I am. I'm turning.
Climb. Climb.
Take it up! Take it up! Take it up!
- I got it! I got it!
- Don't turn. Negative.
This flight is terminated.
I have the controls, Mr. Preston.
You're on probation until further notified.
Let's go home. I gotta
take my little girl fishing.
I had high hopes for you, soldier.
It's like sex.
Hardly anybody gets it
perfect the first time.
The bag is very intimidating.
- You heard?
- The whole base heard.
I blew it.
Jake Preston, super-pilot, blew it.
What happened?
I couldn't keep the data
in my right eye in focus.
My left eye kept taking over and
screwing things up for some reason.
You ever shoot a gun as a kid,
like cowboys and Indians?
- Yeah.
- Shoot me.
- Why?
- Shoot me!
What you're talking about
is not a flying problem.
It's an eye dominance problem.
What do you mean?
Eye dominance. We all have
one eye that naturally takes over.
We get used to using it without even knowing.
My dad always shot the way you just did.
He was right-handed,
and left-eye dominant.
So if I was left-eye dominant...
You'd have a hard time
accepting data from your right eye.
But you can learn.
Talk to Little. He can help you.
- Daddy, can we get this?
- No!
No, no. Remember,
Mom said no more candy.
Go get some of that bread you like.
It's got the little swirls on it.
Dad, I wanna get something.
What can I get?
You can get the spaghetti.
- The colored kind?
- Yes.
And barbecue sauce.
Get a big tin of barbecue sauce.
- I need to speak with you.
- So, speak.
I'm gonna need your help
to get through the bag.
I don't think you've been fair on me.
You've been pushing me from the beginning,
harder than you pushed anybody else.
And you think I'm pushing you,
because I want you out.
Maybe.
If I wanted you out of here, you'd be gone.
I'm pushing you, because I think
you could be one of the best.
Give her that bottle, will you?
Stick it in her mouth.
You fly conventional helicopters
beautifully, Preston.
Your instincts and reflexes are so damn good,
you remind me of me 20 years ago.
But the Apache is not
a conventional helicopter,
and instinct means diddley.
The most complicated piece of
equipment on that aircraft is your brain.
Come on, there's nothing
wrong with my brain.
It's my eyes that are screwing up.
I'm not gonna quit on this.
It's everything I worked for.
I need you to help me out.
You get one more shot at the bag.
If you fail at it, you're out.
If you pass it, you're in. That's all to it.
We don't make any exceptions
in this outfit, ever.
So, you're not gonna help me, are you?
Well, that's real big of you, Little.
You want to tell me about it?
Nothing to tell.
You've been up three times tonight, honey.
There's a kid in the mission...
One of the pilots.
His name is Jake Preston.
- You mean old 2x4?
- Give me a break, Janet.
It's no secret.
The whole base knows about it.
So what?
He's good this kid, you know.
He's just a damn good pilot.
- So what's the problem?
- Problem is he's got an eye dominance thing.
He failed the bag.
Well, you beat it. So can he.
- And if he doesn't, you wash him out.
- Damn you're tough!
Well, they were tough on you.
I know enough about helicopters
to make a lot of money in civilian life.
Janet, I could've made you a rich woman.
- You're a patriot, Little, not a businessman.
- That's right.
And I'm trying like hell for a shot
to take the Apache air-to-air
against some very serious enemies
of the good old USA.
I know you are, babe.
But I'm not gonna get a shot.
It's gonna go to guys
who are younger, who are quicker,
maybe even better,
if I train them well enough to replace me.
Come on. You've lost
enough sleep over this already.
- Let's go to bed.
- Can I take my ice cream?
Yeah.
And I don't care if we aren't rich.
I care about you.
What was that thing that helped you?
Are you up to some kind of silly joke, sir?
Well, technically, this is bullshit, but
when I couldn't pass the bag, it cured me.
Of course, if we wanted to make
you look like a total jackass,
this would work just fine for that.
I always said you looked good
in red panties, Jake.
- As long as you're having fun, Breaker.
- Oh, I am.
All right, let's go!
Try to maintain zero degrees
of steering, Preston.
I do not want to destroy any United
States government property.
Okay, we're coming up on 90 degrees
of steering to the hard right... now!
Good. See how easy that is?
It's all about control,
and control is all in your mind.
90 degrees hard right now!
Very good. Very good.
I would avoid that tank, Preston.
Wouldn't this be better,
if we were all blindfolded?
Well done.
I lost just a little bit of control there,
but now everything's cool.
Another right turn coming up now,
90 degrees to the right...
Now!
Oh, no.
In the ditch!
That was a lot better than he usually drives.
Preston, this operation
will be a failure, if we all die.
Road's over here to the right.
Oh, I found that road.
Well done. Now...
Easing off on the throttle.
Smooth as a baby's butt.
Very good. Well done!
A couple more training flights,
- you're gonna have this dub wired tight!
- He's got panties on his head!
- Good morning, sir.
- Real tight.
Get out of here.
Good day for a drive, isn't it?
Way to go, buddy.
You're doing great, Jake.
All right, kid!
Well, Mr. Preston, today's your big day.
It's your final shot at the bag.
Good luck, boy.
Listen, sweetheart...
You know we're meant to be together,
so how about getting me
through it this time, okay?
I am looking for a smooth ride, Mr. Preston.
Smooth enough.
Now show me the world, boy.
How am I doing, sir?
What do you think, big boy?
Well, I'd have to say that
I'm doing piss-perfect.
How do you feel?
I don't feel...
anything.
Good, good. Let's go.
All right...
On behalf of the United States Army,
the Department of Defense,
the Joint Chiefs of Staff,
VFW and PTA, the commander in chief,
and above all these is me,
congratulations, Mr. Preston.
You have passed the bag.
- Good.
- Okay.
- You're the greatest!
- Hey.
- I passed the bag, thanks to you.
- Hey!
- Want to help me celebrate?
- Yeah, I'd love to.
Wow! You look amazing.
This old thing? I just threw it on
as I was walking out the door.
- You still have her.
- Yeah.
Some things should never change.
I'll put your suitcase in the trunk.
- What are you doing?
- I'm driving.
You knew that, didn't you?
Okay, hotrod.
Put the pedal to the metal,
and let's see what you got.
Whoa, good night!
Wouldn't it be terrific if we could
get a house here and live together?
Why? There's nothing out here.
- 'Cause then, honey, I'd have you all to myself.
- Oh, Jake!
- Why'd you change?
- Less to take off.
Let's skip dinner.
God, it is beautiful.
You're beautiful.
Patience. Anticipation.
Food.
You know, I learned something today.
- In the bag?
- Yeah.
About dominance.
Put your right hand out to the side.
Close your left eye.
Good. Now, let's see...
Put your left hand out to that side,
and close your right eye.
Jake!
We never talked about it
But I hear the blame was mine
I'd call you up to say I'm sorry
But I wouldn't want to waste your time
'Cause I love you,
but I can't take any more
There's a look I can't describe in your eyes
If we could try, like we tried before
Would you keep on telling me those lies?
Telling me lies
Do you remember?
Do you remember?
Do you remember?
Through all of my life
In spite of all the pain
You know people are funny sometimes
'Cause they just can't wait
to get hurt again
Tell me, do you remember?
I hear there's a great place
a couple of miles up a dirt road,
where we can swim sans clothes.
Jake, I gotta get back.
No. Today is sangria day.
I can't.
I've got a FLIR test flight
with Scott in 2 hours.
Well, you're just gonna have to get on the horn
with the buzz-man and tell him you have plans.
You want to make the mission, right?
So if you had the same choice,
a flight with Little or a picnic with me,
what would you do?
Do I always have to ask you first?
Jake, if you ask me first, I'll go
damn near anywhere, if you tell me.
You go alone.
Good thing about the army.
I only have to take orders
from my superiors.
You drive a scout. I drive the Apache.
And therefore, I am your superior, darling.
Now, get in the car and I'll drive you home.
Come on, Jake. I'm driving.
I'm driving!
No!
Thank you.
I'm sorry about the sangria.
Hey, baby, don't you ever want me to win?
No.
Today you are entering the final
phase of aerial combat training.
You'll engage in air-to-air combat
with your flight instructors.
Your scores today will be
the determining factor
for selection to the Apache task force.
Good luck up there today, troopers.
Thanks for getting me through the bag.
Well, it's my job to get you through the bag.
You've done very well. I'm glad to see it.
Just so you know,
I will be kicking your ass today.
Good. All right! Good, good.
Hotrodder ops, this is Rattler.
Ready for a rich full day. Out.
Roger. Proceed with Stinger
to sector kilo. Over.
Hotrodder ops, this is Stinger.
Roger. Out.
Okay, boys. Let's go to our corners
and come out fighting.
These guys are serious, Jake.
All right, it's time now.
- Breaker?
- Yeah.
- Do you like history?
- No.
You better start liking it,
because we're about to make it.
Bring 'em on!
Jumpball, kids.
Let's see who comes down with it.
Get me up there, Jake.
Get me in position.
You want position?
You got position.
Oh, shit! That kid's good.
Come on, come on! I can't lock him.
Come on, we've got to get away.
He's got position on us.
Not bad flying for a couple of old-timers.
Old-timers, my ass!
Those guys can fly, man.
Now, Breaker.
Let's get 'em.
Get me closer, Jake.
I got lock.
Shit, Brad! He's got a lock on us.
Not for long.
Come on, come on! I can't lock him.
Look alive, Rice.
Good-bye, boys, try again.
Hang on to your rice, man.
Let's see if they can keep up with this.
Where'd they go?
- Where is he, Breaker?
- I don't know.
Clever, chief.
Come on, Grandpa. Let's do it.
Okay, get ready for that little pair, Rice.
Done deal. We're gonna park it right here.
I've lost him, Jake.
He's taken the vertical.
I'm going over the top.
Damn, that was a sweet move!
Come on, let's get 'em.
He's gonna pop right through that notch.
That old slick's hiding in a hole.
He wants vertical,
I'll give him vertical with a twist.
Look who we found.
Hasta la bye-bye, chief.
Nose down, Breaker.
- I got lock!
- Now!
Missiles's gone.
Shit!
He's toast. That was great flying, man.
Rattler, they just notified your next of kin.
I got your next of kin.
Well done, boys. Very well done.
Let's go to house, get some supper.
Good flying, Preston.
Intelligence reports the cartel
offensive is set to launch.
All the major players are there,
but we do not know for how long.
The DEA mustn't let this oportunity
slip through their fingers.
- How much time do we have, sir?
- We have to move immediately.
We have less than 24 hours
to eliminate this threat.
Any word on Stoller?
He's there, making sure
that we don't get near them.
- Morning, troopers. Let's do it.
- Sir. Yes, sir.
Task force, attention!
At ease. Listen up!
In less than 24 hours, you'll be asked
to use what you've learned here.
Our mission is to fly support for a
DEA operation of critical importance...
Operation "Fire Bird".
We launch immediately.
We move out tomorrow morning
for a staging area in South America.
Once we're on the ground down there,
you'll get a full background briefing
and your operations order.
What I can tell you now, folks,
is that we will be going air-to-air
against a Scorpion attack
helicopter and its backup.
Now, there'll be officials
on hand down there
to arrest cartel leaders.
Our job is...
to make damn sure they get that chance.
That's all. Carry on. Let's get hot.
- Congratulations, Jake.
- Thank you, Colonel.
- Okay.
- All right.
- Good luck.
- Right, Jake.
Brad, I've been reviewing the gun
camera tapes from your training flights.
Every man has got his place
of maximum effect.
Brad Little's is with this Apache
task force flying the mission.
You're my flight leader, Brad.
I knew that.
I want to talk to you before I leave.
I've got a lot do.
We can talk on the flight down.
What do you mean in the flight down?
On the flight to South America.
How the hell did that happen?
I asked and A.K. cleared it.
They allowed you to go into combat?
I don't believe I'm hearing this.
Billie, wait a second.
Oh, you think it's fine for me to be a pilot
as long as there's nothing at stake,
but a dangerous mission going
that's only for men.
Thanks, Jake. I have my orders.
Why is it so hard for you to understand
that I just don't want you to get hurt?!
I chose this career, and you,
my friend, are gonna to accept it.
"My friend"?!
The Bisante cartel has been amassing
heavy arms and military personel
for an attack on a friendly government.
And we must stop them.
Every operation that the DEA
and our South American allies
has mounted has been
blown away by Eric Stoller.
We believe they are about to airlift
some of the major figures in
the cartel under Stoller's cover.
The local government is sick and tired
of having their army chewed up
by this guy in the air.
Now, they've asked for your help.
They're counting on you. Colonel...
All right, people. On your feet.
Get some sleep.
- Sleep well?
- Hell, no.
What do you think?
It all depends on things
we don't know right now.
You can train all you want
and know you're capable,
but when it comes time to let it rip, you begin
to wonder what you're really gonna do.
Whether you're gonna take it up
or bring it down,
or whether you're gonna
ever see an orange again.
Makes for a long night.
Oh, a long night's been around for
a hundred thousands of years, kid,
full of men waiting to go into battle.
You know, I think everyone I know has
been walking and talking all night long.
- Huh?
- Yeah.
You got chops you haven't even
begin to dream of you, kid.
Just relax. Your instincts and
your training will take over.
Count on it. You had a brilliant teacher.
You know, I've been
pretty arrogant with you.
Mm-hm.
I mean, I'm vain and I know I'm great,
but you're definitely the best.
No, you're better.
I can't learn anymore. You can.
Every time we went up together,
I kept thinking...
"Damn, that kid is good!
How'd he figure that one out?"
You're a natural.
You're a natural. You've got a lot of talent.
How about that roll-out
you did during the fly-off?
Man, I had you dead.
Nobody but you could have done that.
Don't get me wrong.
I'm not saying I'm not a genius.
You know, I joined the army
for the same reason you did.
And that's to kick ass. Just like in the
old war movies, you know, be a hero.
That's what I'm looking for in you.
A first-class all-American hero
with his heart and brain wired together
cooking full tilt boogie
for freedom and justice.
Okay? It's the oldest, corniest
story in the whole world.
By God, this could be a happy day.
Billie, Coronel!
Incoming missiles!
Let's get them in the air!
Get the helicopters in the air!
Get up, get up, get up!
Scott's dead. I'm on my own.
Hotrodder ops, this is Rattler.
Do you copy? Over.
Roger, Rattler, and Night Rider 6.
I am your Lima Charlie. How many? Over.
Lima Charlie, they shot down
Rives and Tippet on take-off.
Myself, Davis and Proctor are riding
shotgun for the Black Hawks. Over.
Guthrie, this is flight leader.
You have two very bad boys up here
looking for something to do.
Locate ground radar.
Check all canyon rims.
When you find it, let us know.
We'll blow it up.
I don't want these sons of bitches
knowing where we're at.
Roger, Rattler.
Rebel is hunting.
Found it. Site unmanned.
Proceed to 3708.
Roger that. We're on our way.
Stoller's out there. I can smell him.
Go find him, kid.
Okay, we're coming up on the coordinates.
Looking high, looking low.
Find me a bunch of high-tech shit
on the rim of that canyon.
- All right, Rice man.
- I see it, Grandpa.
Locking in the missiles.
Make that damn thing go away, son.
Good shooting, Rice man.
Okay, they're working without radar now.
What's happening, Guthrie?
There it is.
What's happening, Guthrie?
Talk to me! Talk to me!
Rebel's located enemy airstrip.
Evacuation underway.
Request fire support.
I've got a fast-mover bogey at heading 070.
This area is heavily armed.
Apaches rolling in hot.
That's yours, Stinger.
Wait a minute.
I'm picking up something else.
It's Stoller!
Billie, listen to me.
Keep moving and stay close to rocks.
Don't give him a target. Just keep moving!
Oh, God!
Stoller's closing! I'm not gonna make it.
Baby, don't panic.
If you keep moving, he can't lock on.
I'm on my way.
Oh, Jake, save my ass.
You're not touching her,
you filthy piece of shit!
Jake, don't let him get away.
Stinger, this Rattler.
Have you engaged? Over.
We're on him, Rattler.
All right, here we go. Grab your ass, Rice.
I'm gonna get you closer, buddy,
but you've got to nail him.
- Missed!
- Stay on him.
Ah, shit!
He's getting away!
Damn, he's fast!
Where the hell is he?
Wait a minute, I hear him.
That's not Stoller.
I got him.
Rattler, need some help here.
We've got a bogey fast-mover,
coming hot and heavy.
Know what you got, kid.
Listen to your old coach.
We're right behind you. Just bring him to me,
and Rice-man will punch his lights out.
- Do it Rattler.
- We'll never make it, Jake.
Keep him tracking, son.
Just lead him on and bring him to us.
You've got to get me in closer.
One shot, Rice-man.
I don't want to lose this kid.
If I could just get around that ridge.
We're gonna make our move, Rattler.
He's on us, Jake.
We've got to do something.
Got him down on 3.
Stay on him. He shows his skull,
we got him.
- He's got us on missile lock!
- We're there. He's yours.
Look for the sweet spot.
Look for the sweet spot, baby.
Lock on!
Not bad shooting for an old dog like you, Rice.
Thanks, Grandpa.
Solid gold, Rattler. That was solid gold.
What goes on, Guthrie?
Looking. Unmasking to take a peek.
There is another fast-mover
at your 1 o'clock.
What, they got a whole
air force down here now?
It's Stoller! Get out of there!
- Shit, he's on our 6:00!
- Hang on, Rice.
- He's tracking Little.
- I'm coming around.
Goddamn, we're gonna get shot at!
Brace yourself, Rice-man. Brace yourself!
Where is he? Where is he? Where is he?!
Shit! We lost the tail rotor!
Help me out, Rice!
How's the main rotor RPM?
RPM's dropping! It's dropping!
I'm pulling Stoller out of the area.
- Stoller's on our ass!
- Oh, yeah? Good!
Mayday, mayday!
Hotrodder ops, this is Rattler.
We are going in.
Hang on, big boy.
Rattler, mayday, mayday!
We are going in.
Shit, Brad, find us a soft spot, man.
He missed!
Billie, your area is clear.
Get in and check on Rattler.
Roger. I have him in sight.
There was no explosion, no fires.
I'm going in to see if they're alive.
That make you nervous, Breaker?
No. The guy on our ass
is making me nervous.
Copy. Chill. We're out of here.
How's it going, Calvin?
Jake, only my mother calls me Calvin.
I am your mother now, Calvin.
- Rice?
- Dead.
- Can you move?
- No, my legs are broken.
Get your ass in here.
See if we have a good stinger.
Stoller's got in on us again.
Not for long.
This one looks okay.
Go to the aft compartment and
get the grip stock and the BCU.
What?
A little cigar-box looking thing
with a clip on it
and a little round thing that
looks like a coffee can.
You've got 20 seconds max.
Screw that coffee can inside that cigar box.
Good, Go pop three latches on that
missile and bring it over here.
Once he gets hot, wax him!
Oh, shit!
Put the flat end in the dirt.
Point the pistol grip down
at the ground of the cigar box.
Hinge the cigar box onto the missile.
- There. Mount it up.
- Okay.
Pop that latch. Very good.
Open up the side frame
with the square thing on the side.
- He's turning inbound.
- No, shit!
Put it on your shoulder.
Quick, quick, quick, quick, quick.
Pull down the metal looking thing
with your right thumb.
You are now activated!
Hide your ass!
Guthrie, turn around.
I've got him in my sight!
Shoot him in the ass.
Snort that, sucker.
We got him.
He's going vertical.
Where'd he go?
He's in the sun.
Stoller's on our ass!
Get ready to throw the dog a bone, Breaker.
He's getting in position!
I'm hit!
- How bad?
- I can't shoot.
All right, hang tight, buddy. He's mine.
Come on. Come on. Come to daddy.
Brace yourself, Breaker.
Let's see how good he really is.
Oops, you blew it.
I'm gonna kill him now!
That was for Dobbs.
This is Stinger. Request permission
to join Fire Bird support at airstrip.
Negative Stinger. DEA troops
are mopping up Fire Bird now.
They've arrested all cartel members.
Have the area under control.
Once you took out Stoller and
their air support, it was over.
Come on home.
Where's Billie and Little?
We just got confirmation on their position.
They're alive. Rice is dead.
Little is down and hurt,
but Billie's with him,
and that medevac bird
is just about to leave.
Go on. You're gonna miss the bus.
All right.
Christ, this hurts!
Where's the meat wagon?
Just over the hill, sir.
- Don't drop me.
- No, sir!
Christ! You drop me, it'll be the end
of life as you've come to know it
- in the US Army, trooper.
- Sir!
Did you kill him?
Yeah. Yeah, I killed him.
Good, son. Well done. Well done!
You look like a first-class hero, chief.
You, too, son. You both do.
First-class, all-American!
Well, you did it.
We did it.
Okay, we did it.
I'm not gonna argue.
Oh, yeah? Since when?
I'll give you a ride home.
- Great. I'll drive.
- No, I'm gonna drive.
- No, I'll drive.
- Jake, it's my helicopter. I'll drive.
No, no, no, no, no. I drive.
Find a way to my heart,
and I will always be with you
From wherever you are,
I'll be waiting
I'll keep a place in my heart,
you will see it shining through
So find a way to my heart,
and I will, I will follow you
This journey's not easy for you, I know
If your footsteps get too faint to hear, I'll go
'Cause you know,
questions are never that easy
And never the same
You will have the answer, believe me
If you have the faith
To find a way to my heart,
and I will always be with you
From wherever you are,
I'll be waiting
I'll keep a place in my heart,
you will see it shining through
So find a way to my heart,
and I will, I will follow you
Time may come, and time may go, I know
If you should call out for me, I'll go
But you know,
there is a code to be broken
I wrap it around
Without a word being spoken
Without a sound
There's a reason I hide my heart
Out of sight out of mind
And when I find out just who you are
The door will be open for you
To find a way to my heart,
and I will always be with you
From wherever you are,
I'll be waiting
I'll keep a place in my heart,
you will see it shining through
So find a way to my heart,
and I will, I will follow you
Oh, find a way to my heart,
and I will always be with you
From wherever you are,
I'll be waiting
I'll keep a place in my heart,
you will see it shining through
So find a way to my heart,
and I will, I will follow you
military anti-drug forces.
A search and destroy mission
on cocaine labs.
Lt. Dobbs and I had been training
local pilots in Cobras
for their own strike forces
against the cartel.
Lead, this is Snake Two
entering sector 4079.
Roger. Advise collab ops of our position.
Wilco, Dobbs.
How's the view up front, buddy?
I'm not crazy about it, man.
I'll be glad when we get out of this canyon.
I was flying wing that day
with Captain Tejada.
Lt. Dobbs, the other American
was with Captain Mendez,
the flight leader in the front Cobra.
Between the two Cobras
was a Black Hawk helicopter
with a support team of American
and South American DEA agents.
It was our fourth mission as a team,
and we'd work well together.
We were entering a sector
we've never been before.
It was rumored among the locals that this
was an area of offensive cartel activity.
But we were used to such rumors.
We were 5 miles from the objective,
when we saw the Scorpion
attack helicopter.
Dobbs, bogey at your 12 o'clock!
Dobbs!
Snake Two to Black Hawk,
get the hell out of there.
The Black Hawk began evasive action,
but the Scorpion was too fast,
heavily armed, and hard to find.
The pilot was better than anyone
I'd ever seen before.
I tried to pull the Scorpion
away from the Black Hawk,
but to no use.
He was a cold killer.
Tejada! Tejada!
Wake up, goddamn it!
I took the controls, put her in a dive,
and crossed over the top of the
Scorpion before he could fire.
I made it out of the area.
We said the cartel was up to something.
I'm not blaming anybody.
Last time I looked,
we were all on the same side.
We have some decisions to make.
Thank you, Mr. Preston. That will be all.
May I say something, sir?
Go ahead.
I volunteered to fly with these
local anti-drug forces, sir.
And I watched the men in those
choppers put their lives in the line
for their families and their country
every day.
The cartel has them outpaid,
outmanned, and outgunned.
But knowing that, they still went out.
They didn't stand a chance.
They're heroes,
and they should be avenged.
It's a little more complicated than that.
I beg your pardon, sir,
but I think it's very simple.
They killed our people
and they killed our friends.
Their drugs kill Americans every day.
It's a war, and it's our duty to fight.
Thank you, Mr. Preston. You're excused.
Gentlemen, does anyone else in
this room feel as frustrated as I do?
We all do, Oscar,
but it's a complex problem.
I disagree.
We have an executive mandate
to stop the drug cartel
and we're sitting on our hands.
That pilot out there has
the clearest take on this mess.
We are at war, and we deal
with the problem as such.
So what are we gonna do?
Go back to the same sort of operation?
Sir, the DEA is fighting a war
with its hands tied, and we're losing it.
Not anymore.
General Olcott, I want the army
to ready a task force immediately.
- I want that operation taken out.
- Yes, sir.
My Apache crews are trained
for ground support, General,
they're just not up to speed
for air-to-air combat.
If this enemy helicopter
is half as good as we hear,
I'm gonna need help to bring him down.
Anything you want.
Well, I need as much information
as I can get on this operation.
Who is this enemy pilot,
and what's his support like?
And I've got to have
Brad Little and his team.
They're down at Fort Rooker
right now training rookies.
I want them at Fort Mitchell
as soon as possible.
This is a need-to-know operation.
All reports eyes-only to me.
And that Preston...
He impressed them in there.
See if you can keep him in the mix.
Will do, General.
- Preston?
- Yes, Sir.
You've seen this bogey work.
Can the Apache stand up to it?
It is the only aircraft that will, sir.
How soon can you qualify on the bird?
I've completed the academics,
and I'm scheduled to start hands-on
as soon as I get back to Fort Mitchell.
General Olcott wants you in this mission.
Now, I believe in you, son.
Can you handle it?
You can count on me, sir.
At ease. Take a seat.
Gentlemen, we've all got a lot
to do today, so I'll make this brief.
It's my honor to introduce
our new combat instructor pilot,
Chief Warrant Officer Brad Little.
He's here to bring us up to speed
on air combat manoeuvres.
Mr. Little.
You men know all there is to know
about air-to-ground technique.
Starting right now, you have
a new objective in your lives,
and this new objective is to become
masters of air-to-air combat tactics.
When we have mastered these tactics,
we will use them to seek out,
and confront the forces of evil,
and kill them deader than hell.
We're lucky men.
We're in the United States Army
and we face the opportunity of a lifetime.
I do not expect you to watse or throw
away or neglect this opportunity.
I expect you to improve
every shining minute of my time
by becoming the best air-to-air
helicopter pilots in the whole wide world.
You will fight as teams
of gunners and pilots,
each more dependent on the other
than they were on their own mama.
Sir!
Our mission has the
highest national priority.
I can't stress that enough.
We're going against an enemy,
who's defending his own territory.
We've got to get up to speed immediately.
The clock is running, folks,
and it's running fast.
Group! Attention!
Carry on.
Looks like a fine group of aviators, sir.
They are that, Brad.
That kid, Preston, showed
extraordinary courage in South America.
I want you to pay a special attention to him.
It's beautiful in an ugly kind of way.
Somebody called it a flying race car
with guns, but that's bullshit.
It's not that simple.
Here...
Put your hands here, here and there,
put your feet here, here, here and here,
and here, do not step here or there.
That's it. Crawl right on in there, lad.
Riding in the gunner's seat in this aircraft
at 150 knots through the treetops
is like having your ass strapped
to the nose of a bullet.
Basically, you will be flying
like a bat out of hell,
you will be shooting at the enemy,
you will be jiggling around
dodging bullets, and missiles,
and rocks, and arrows,
and spears, and ducks, and geese.
Sounds like a full-time job.
Boy, you're gonna be as busy
as a three-peckered goat.
So let's get to it.
You really get into this, don't you, sir?
- I love it to death.
- I can tell.
Heaven, here we come.
So, what do we do first?
Gee, is this a quiz, sir?
Your whole life's a quiz, young man.
Now, you tell me the first
order of business, hot shot.
Program the inertial nav systems,
enter the laser codes,
punch in target and Doppler coordinates,
initialize weapon systems,
and optimize FLIR sensors.
Okay, perfect. Well done.
Now, let's see if the damn thing will start.
It has a roll rate of 150 degrees per second,
so if you need to duck, dive, or disappear,
this buggy will do it before
your brain can think it up.
We could crash this aircraft
at 20 G's and survive,
but I am not gonna prove it to you.
Darn!
You got missiles on this thing that can
take out a door at 5 miles without knocking.
But in air-to-air combat,
your best weapon is agility,
and this gunship is agile,
mobile, and hostile.
That was great.
- How's the ride up there, Preston?
- Unreal!
Good!
God!
Ordinarily what we'll do is hide in a hole and
cause things that are far away to blow up.
Your new trick is to move like a thief,
keep you nose down,
then come out of nowhere,
and blow your enemy to pieces.
Sound like fun?
- Yeah.
- Good.
- Sir...
- Yeah?
That was totally cool.
I'd marry that thing.
You're as good a pilot as they say you are,
I'll give away the bride. Buzzard!
I want you to meet Jake Preston.
He's part of the Apache task force.
This is Scott Buzz, my chief scout IP,
and Billie Guthrie, his co-pilot.
Billie Lee Guthrie.
I think I've heard of you.
How you doing?
I do fine.
How about a drink this evening?
Jake, not a chance.
"Not a chance."
- How much flight time did you log, Buzzard?
- 2.3.
- What?
- 2.3, sir!
2.3.
You have a problem with women
in the army, Preston?
Not with all of them, sir.
Just that one.
I'll see you at 0700.
The cartel has made the decision
to go on the offensive
and expand their operation
into neighboring countries.
They've brought in Cuban arms,
Cuban advisory team,
and they've hired this man, Eric Stoller,
a crack helicopter attack pilot
and international mercenary,
to ride shotgun on their missions.
He received his terrorist training
in Europe and North Korea.
Now he sells his expertise
to the highest bidder.
In this tape, our DEA team
thought they had Stoller cornered,
but it was a setup.
Stoller acted as a decoy and drew them in.
There's a booby-trapped bomb
waiting for those men.
Watch for the box
at the bottom of the screen.
Everyone in Washington
knows what we're up against.
This guy's a killer.
We need to support the DEA,
and that means dealing
with Stoller air-to-air.
Sir, I'd like to be considered
for the Apache task force, sir.
Forget about it, Brad. I need you here.
Nobody better in the Apache than I am, sir.
I agree. That why it's your job to convey
that knowledge and experience
to these young pilots.
Time comes to use the experience.
I want to fly this mission, sir.
- Noted. Is Janet joining you?
- Yes, sir. She's in the children ride this afternoon.
- And you want to fly and get shot at?
- Affirmative. Yes, sir!
Brad, we can't afford to lose you.
- Just one drink.
- I don't want to drink.
Oh, honey, it's your birthday.
Let's have a little fun.
I'm too old to have fun. I'm 40 years old,
and I want to go home.
At ease, Little. Come on.
On my birthday I consider everybody,
but the whole family gets to do
what they want to do on their birthday,
except for Brad.
Surprise!
Oh, no! No!
There you go.
Go for it.
This is really stupid.
So, how about that drink now?
Interested?
No, thanks.
# For he's a jolly good fellow #
- No, Billie.
- # For he's a jolly good fellow #
# For he's a jolly good fellow #
# Which nobody can deny ##
Welcome to the future, lads.
Descend the stairway and turn right.
At the first platform,
enter the big black box.
Make ready for war.
Want some strawberry gum, Breaker?
- No, thanks.
- Little?
How about you? Strawberry gum?
No.
It's delicious.
Come on, Jake.
Gentlemen, this simulator will do
anything the Apache will do.
It will also do anything your enemy will do.
Good, because I have
a pocket full of quarters.
Let's go play.
- Sgt., start up "X-ray" and crank it.
- Yes, sir.
Boys, the first program is called "X-ray".
We're gonna start slow.
All babies need to crawl before they walk.
All right. All systems are up.
The pilot has the controls.
Proceed along route "Blue". Remember,
the name of the game is surprise.
Gentlemen, stay low,
use the terrain for cover,
then pop up and nail your targets.
There's a town on the other side
of those mountains.
Locate same and recon for targets.
Hang in there, Breaker.
Let's see what this baby can do.
Looks like a quiet Sunday afternoon to me.
That's a negative.
We dialed in 9:00 a.m. Monday morning,
and we're open for business.
Heads up! Mad turtle on your 11:00.
Missile laser locked in. Bye-bye!
Good shooting, Breaker.
Hey, you're talking to a legend.
A world of pigeons out there.
I hunt them...
you shoot them.
How are we doing, sir?
You're looking good, gentlemen.
We'll take it up a notch.
Resume your original heading
and proceed up the river bed.
Higgins, move it up to "Yankee" program.
The schedule only calls for "X-ray", sir.
- I'm changing the schedule, Higgins.
- Yes, sir.
All right...
Check out the highway on your 3 o'clock
for suspected enemy ground threat.
- I am the greatest.
- Go, Jake, go!
All right, free game!
I am the greatest.
That pilot's good.
Yes, he's good. He's very, very, very good.
Ooh! I've played them before,
but nothing like this!
All right. So much for the warm-up,
gentlemen.
You now have air-to-air threat
in your sector.
I am the greatest.
I am the greatest.
I am the greatest!
I am the greatest!
I am the greatest!
Sgt., crank this up to "Zulu".
Pardon, sir. "Zulu"'s for experts, sir.
Hold the exercise.
All these boys are experts, Higins.
If you keep on making me
tell you things twice,
I'm gonna have you washing windshields.
We're back in bogey now, boys.
Watch the wires, or we're french fries.
Nice view on your deuce, Preston.
- Moose coming up quick.
- Oh, damn!
Nose coming up.
Muscle's on. Smoke 'em with fast movement!
Shoot 'em, blast 'em, nab 'em, grab 'em,
shake 'em, bake 'em, cook 'em, clean 'em,
close 'em, broil 'em, kick 'em, nab 'em,
twist 'em, bro!
All gone! Bye-bye!
It's very impressive, gentlemen.
Let's see how well you fly
with your monocles down.
I need to know if we can pump
all the information the computers will hold
through your eyes and
into your little bird brains.
It's a bit different.
This is unbelievable!
Let's go get them, Jake.
Come on. Working.
Working! Come on!
- Come on, Jake, what's wrong?
- I can't focus.
- Lock him now!
- Almost! Almost!
- There!
- Yeah, we got 'em. Wax 'em! Come on!
Watch those wires, kid.
Wax 'em now!
Goddamn it.
It's okay, Jake.
Well, don't worry about it, boys.
It's only a video game.
None of this is real.
It's just a big toy the army built
for your personal amusement.
While you're having so much fun,
try to make believe they just
notified your next of kin.
Now get out of there.
I think we're pushing these guys
a little too hard, sir.
Oh, I don't know about you, Higgins,
but I am.
I want you to make sure
you've clamped the top of the rotor.
- You can tell...
- Sharon?
...if you can get it to click,
you know what I mean?
- Hey!
- Yeah, you can get it to click.
- Do you know where Billie is?
- Like that.
How do I know she wants to see you?
You don't know.
So why don't you tell me where she is,
and I'll go over there
and give her the choice.
- The laundromat.
- The laundromat.
Well, that's just Jim-dandy.
- Breaker?
- Yeah, I'll see you later, Jake.
- What are you doing here?
- I owe you a congratulations.
You got what you wanted.
You got your wings.
A mere 2 years of my life.
A D-model maintenance test pilot no less.
- Told you I'd do it.
- Yep.
So...
- Was it worth the price?
- What price?
Us, remember?
Yeah, I remember.
That's all behind us now.
The main thing is that we're here together,
we're seeing each other every day,
and you look really sexy in that skirt,
which is why I think we should
give it another chance.
- I don't think so, Jake.
- Why not?
Because I don't want to
set myself up for that again.
- Can't we, at least, be friends?
- Yeah.
- We can just be best of friends.
- Good.
What are you doing?
A kiss! It's a tradition for friends
to seal a bargain with a kiss.
The tradition is a handshake.
You can't resist me.
I can try.
Aren't you forgetting something?
You keep them.
- Good morning.
- Morning.
- Morning, Chief Little.
- Morning.
- Yo, Chief!
- Morning.
- Good pacing, sir!
- All right. Morning.
- Beautiful day, sir!
- All right. - Sir!
Rules of engagement...
1. Whoever sees the other first
is the winner.
2. Whoever gets seen first is toast.
The name of the game here,
gentlemen, is surprise.
The land mass behind which
you can hide is your friend.
The open sky in which
you cannot hide is your enemy.
If you remember anything at all,
remember this...
Once a helicopter battle has been
engaged, somebody is gonna die.
You boys do not have the speed
to run from a fight.
When you engage, you must bring the nose
of your aircraft to bear on the bogey.
Unmasking, pop-ups,
pedal turns, hovers,
sideward flight, could all be combined
to effect your nose-on position.
Put your weapons system on the target.
The optimum attack position is...
- Above and behind on a 6 o'clcok.
- Good.
- The optimum kill shot is...
- Down through the rotor blades.
Good. Some of you boys
have been paying attention.
I thought you were all sitting there
dreaming about chasing women.
Get out of here. Dismissed.
Have fun, stay out of trouble.
What kind of women
do you think come here?
I don't know. Strippers, scandalous women.
You know, the kind that you like, Breaker.
Then you, too, Jake.
Because there's Billie.
- Excuse me.
- Hey.
Back off, slick.
I just want to dance with the lady, partner.
Well, get in line, friend.
While the music's playing, she's mine.
When it stops, I'll let her go.
Now beat it, before I whip your ass.
You wouldn't get between
a man and his fiance, would you?
Oh, Jake!
Come on, boy, take your best shot.
Billie.
Hey.
Stay away from me, Jake.
Hey skirty cat, I just wanted
to dance with you.
I'm not a piece of steak
for you two to fight over.
Understand?
We don't go out together anymore,
remember?
That's going to change.
It didn't work before,
and it's gonna work now?
- Too many things haven't changed.
- Like what?
Like that Neanderthal crap back there.
"Me man, you woman."
I am not Jane of the jungle.
I thought it was kind of cavalier, myself.
Jake, I think you want me to stay
home and have babies and cook.
Well, I mean, I did.
What's wrong with babies
and cooking, Billie?
I mean it's a tradition.
My mother did that.
Your mother didn't fly helicopters.
Too many things haven't changed.
You're right, Billie Lee. She never flew
helicopters. What else hasn't changed?
- We fight all the time.
- We always make up.
Because I always wanted to.
You still care about me, don't you?
I want you to stop this.
I'm going.
- I have a low level flight test at 0500.
- Don't you?
Oh, Jake. So what if I do?
You think it changes anything?
Intelligence reports the site will be
fully functional within a few days.
It has already become
the headquarters for their operation.
A strip definitely would
support an attack force,
large transports, even fighter aircraft.
The other reason for accelerating
our plan is this information.
These were taken just a few days ago.
All the major players in the cartel
have suddenly disappeared.
Intelligence believes that they
will show up at this airstrip.
Your Apaches had better be
ready to go on short notice.
Will do, General.
The crew and the team assignments are...
Preston and Breaker with Guthrie,
Davis and Proctor go with me,
Rives and Tippet with Wade.
All right, listen up, gun bunnies...
Straight from the buzz man.
Just like Indian scouts in the old days,
we're the modern day equivalent,
your eyes and your ears.
The folks who stick their necks
out there to see what's out there,
so you can shoot it down
and be the heroes.
Preston get your brains out of your pants.
As forward observer, I can find a target
and get coordinates to you fast.
Let's talk about us instead.
No! This important, Jake.
To prevent radio detection,
we're set up with ATHS
direct to your video display.
I've got a display of your tail
that is just mind-boggling.
Think of us scouts as extensions
of your own sight in the air.
Mmm, I think I like that.
You only have eyes for me.
You will need reconnaissance
going into battle, Jake.
For example, with our laser designator,
we can paint your target while
you're hidden in some canyon,
so you can nail it from cover
without ever being seen.
I'd love to nail it.
In an emergency,
it's possible to distract the adversary,
or temporarily blind him with the laser.
- Watch this Breaker.
- Let's get serious.
- Jake, where are you?
- I remember you like me on top.
Jake, you still got your brains
in your cockpit?
That's because it's easier
to fly that way, honey.
Loaded and ready to fire.
Jake, we've both been there before
when those guns just didn't go off.
Don't worry about that, baby.
So how about that drink tonight?
Man, you never let up, do you?
Jake, let's get ahold of ourselves.
I've got ahold of myself.
Good. Then you don't need me.
Have fun with yourselves, boys.
Billie?
- Where'd she go?
- You try and catch me, Jake.
That darn girl disappeared, Breaker.
That looks like she's got you, buddy.
She sure does, Breaker. She sure does.
I see you took Preston
and his gunner up to "Zulu".
Oh, yeah. Why not?
- Had a hell of a score.
- He's a hell of a pilot.
Sir, has a decision been reached
on my request to join the task force?
Brad, I'm sorry.
You're too important to this program,
and combat's a young man's game.
I'm the best you've got.
It wasn't easy for me, either, partner.
Now, give it up.
- Hi.
- Hi, there.
Hey, you wanna go a couple of rounds?
- No. No, thanks.
- No?
How about you, Breaker? You box?
No, sir. That kind of stuff scares me.
I'm more into cooking and cleaning.
"Cooking and cleaning."
Hey, you're dropping your right there
with your jab.
You leave yourself wide open
for the counter.
- I don't think so.
- Oh, yeah.
Wide open. That's the way I see it.
And you're talking to the former
light heavyweight champion
of South Eastern Arizona
State University, 1969...
intramural.
You're in a world of trouble now, Preston.
Come on, let's go.
Okay, a couple of rounds.
Show me those keenly-honed reflexes,
young man.
I wanna see those catlike moves.
Ready for some coffee?
Mm-hm.
Slept in this morning, huh?
Mm-hm.
Honey, what happened?
Nothing. My back's a little sore.
No, about your face.
What'd you do to your eye?
I hit it.
- With what? A 2x4?
- No.
Boxing a little down at the gym.
Who with? Mike Tyson?
Ha, ha, ha. How much time do I have?
- 10 minutes. You want some cereal?
- No, no.
- I'll get something later.
- Okay.
Here.
Are you sure you're okay?
I'm fine, okay? Just fine. I'm a little sore.
Maybe I pulled a muscle or something.
Are you sure?
For God's sake, Jenny,
you'd think I had my dick shot off.
Oh, I'd better check, don't you think?
Yeah, you better see for yourself, darling.
- Good morning, sir.
- Good morning.
- Everything cool?
- Totally cool.
Good.
Gentlemen, we have some snapshots
here today of a very special individual.
His name is Eric Stoller.
Charming, isn't he?
Here he is on one of his better days.
This man kills people for money,
and someone has paid him to kill you.
In air-to-air combat, he has no equal.
His instrument of choice
is the Scorpion tactical assault helicopter.
Don't let the size of this aircraft fool you.
Because of its speed and agility,
it is one of the most deadly things
you will ever see in the sky.
Put this personality into this machine,
and if you blink up there, people,
you are in the body bag.
On the local scene, law enforcement agencies
from three counties moved in unison today
in a series of sweeping raids
of suspected crack houses.
The officers say that despite
the 24 arrests made today
and the large drug bust made last week,
which netted over $500,000
in cash and cocaine,
they are overwhelmed by the
sheer massiveness of a problem
that appears to have no end.
Dobbs, bogey at your 12 o'clock!
Dobbs!
- Well, good morning.
- Good morning.
Eat your Wheaties this morning, boy?
- Two bowls, sir.
- Good.
Good.
- All right, welcome to the bag.
- Thank you.
You'll be flying in total darkness completely
dependent on your sighting system.
- Do your homework last night?
- Yes, sir.
Good.
Lights out.
It's very dark.
All right, nice and easy. Nice and easy.
Try to keep the airplane level
and the velocity vector centered.
You're sliding left.
Don't second-guess the equipment.
Go with your data, maintain your heading.
What you see throught the air
with your right eye,
should be coordinated with what you see
on the video screen with your left eye.
I want you to look right 70 degrees.
Tell me what you see.
Where are you taking us, Preston?
Do not turn the airplane, turn your head.
Maintain your heading.
Don't fail me, son. You've got us close
enough to these rocks to count lizards.
Maintain your heading. I do not want to
smack that canyon wall, if it's okay with you.
I can't focus.
I didn't know the aircraft was turning.
That canyon wall is your line of sight,
not the heading of your aircraft.
Now, come to a heading of 240.
Drop us down to 300 feet.
Come on, come on.
You gotta cross-check
your picture with your data.
Keep your eye moving. Goddamn!
Where's the cocksure
sky jock I had last week?
You're yawing, man.
- Step on the ball and trim it up.
- I'm working on it.
Now level-off, come to a heading 200.
See that big rock out there?
Do you see that big rock out there?
Preston, do you see that big hogging
airplane killing rock out there?
Yes, goddamn it, I see it!
What the hell do you want me to do with it?!
Take it easy, son. I want you to approach
that chimney rock on exactly this heading
until you are within what
you think is 500 feet of it.
Then cross left in front of it on heading 170
climbing out at 500 feet
to clear the canyon rim.
- Are you clear on that?
- Yeah.
Well, do it, Preston. Do it!
- You got a turn coming up. Make your turn!
- I am.
- Make your turn.
- I am. I'm doing it.
Yeah, but you're doing it ugly, kid.
Watch yourself!
I'm turning.
- Turn. You're closing on it.
- I am. I'm turning.
Climb. Climb.
Take it up! Take it up! Take it up!
- I got it! I got it!
- Don't turn. Negative.
This flight is terminated.
I have the controls, Mr. Preston.
You're on probation until further notified.
Let's go home. I gotta
take my little girl fishing.
I had high hopes for you, soldier.
It's like sex.
Hardly anybody gets it
perfect the first time.
The bag is very intimidating.
- You heard?
- The whole base heard.
I blew it.
Jake Preston, super-pilot, blew it.
What happened?
I couldn't keep the data
in my right eye in focus.
My left eye kept taking over and
screwing things up for some reason.
You ever shoot a gun as a kid,
like cowboys and Indians?
- Yeah.
- Shoot me.
- Why?
- Shoot me!
What you're talking about
is not a flying problem.
It's an eye dominance problem.
What do you mean?
Eye dominance. We all have
one eye that naturally takes over.
We get used to using it without even knowing.
My dad always shot the way you just did.
He was right-handed,
and left-eye dominant.
So if I was left-eye dominant...
You'd have a hard time
accepting data from your right eye.
But you can learn.
Talk to Little. He can help you.
- Daddy, can we get this?
- No!
No, no. Remember,
Mom said no more candy.
Go get some of that bread you like.
It's got the little swirls on it.
Dad, I wanna get something.
What can I get?
You can get the spaghetti.
- The colored kind?
- Yes.
And barbecue sauce.
Get a big tin of barbecue sauce.
- I need to speak with you.
- So, speak.
I'm gonna need your help
to get through the bag.
I don't think you've been fair on me.
You've been pushing me from the beginning,
harder than you pushed anybody else.
And you think I'm pushing you,
because I want you out.
Maybe.
If I wanted you out of here, you'd be gone.
I'm pushing you, because I think
you could be one of the best.
Give her that bottle, will you?
Stick it in her mouth.
You fly conventional helicopters
beautifully, Preston.
Your instincts and reflexes are so damn good,
you remind me of me 20 years ago.
But the Apache is not
a conventional helicopter,
and instinct means diddley.
The most complicated piece of
equipment on that aircraft is your brain.
Come on, there's nothing
wrong with my brain.
It's my eyes that are screwing up.
I'm not gonna quit on this.
It's everything I worked for.
I need you to help me out.
You get one more shot at the bag.
If you fail at it, you're out.
If you pass it, you're in. That's all to it.
We don't make any exceptions
in this outfit, ever.
So, you're not gonna help me, are you?
Well, that's real big of you, Little.
You want to tell me about it?
Nothing to tell.
You've been up three times tonight, honey.
There's a kid in the mission...
One of the pilots.
His name is Jake Preston.
- You mean old 2x4?
- Give me a break, Janet.
It's no secret.
The whole base knows about it.
So what?
He's good this kid, you know.
He's just a damn good pilot.
- So what's the problem?
- Problem is he's got an eye dominance thing.
He failed the bag.
Well, you beat it. So can he.
- And if he doesn't, you wash him out.
- Damn you're tough!
Well, they were tough on you.
I know enough about helicopters
to make a lot of money in civilian life.
Janet, I could've made you a rich woman.
- You're a patriot, Little, not a businessman.
- That's right.
And I'm trying like hell for a shot
to take the Apache air-to-air
against some very serious enemies
of the good old USA.
I know you are, babe.
But I'm not gonna get a shot.
It's gonna go to guys
who are younger, who are quicker,
maybe even better,
if I train them well enough to replace me.
Come on. You've lost
enough sleep over this already.
- Let's go to bed.
- Can I take my ice cream?
Yeah.
And I don't care if we aren't rich.
I care about you.
What was that thing that helped you?
Are you up to some kind of silly joke, sir?
Well, technically, this is bullshit, but
when I couldn't pass the bag, it cured me.
Of course, if we wanted to make
you look like a total jackass,
this would work just fine for that.
I always said you looked good
in red panties, Jake.
- As long as you're having fun, Breaker.
- Oh, I am.
All right, let's go!
Try to maintain zero degrees
of steering, Preston.
I do not want to destroy any United
States government property.
Okay, we're coming up on 90 degrees
of steering to the hard right... now!
Good. See how easy that is?
It's all about control,
and control is all in your mind.
90 degrees hard right now!
Very good. Very good.
I would avoid that tank, Preston.
Wouldn't this be better,
if we were all blindfolded?
Well done.
I lost just a little bit of control there,
but now everything's cool.
Another right turn coming up now,
90 degrees to the right...
Now!
Oh, no.
In the ditch!
That was a lot better than he usually drives.
Preston, this operation
will be a failure, if we all die.
Road's over here to the right.
Oh, I found that road.
Well done. Now...
Easing off on the throttle.
Smooth as a baby's butt.
Very good. Well done!
A couple more training flights,
- you're gonna have this dub wired tight!
- He's got panties on his head!
- Good morning, sir.
- Real tight.
Get out of here.
Good day for a drive, isn't it?
Way to go, buddy.
You're doing great, Jake.
All right, kid!
Well, Mr. Preston, today's your big day.
It's your final shot at the bag.
Good luck, boy.
Listen, sweetheart...
You know we're meant to be together,
so how about getting me
through it this time, okay?
I am looking for a smooth ride, Mr. Preston.
Smooth enough.
Now show me the world, boy.
How am I doing, sir?
What do you think, big boy?
Well, I'd have to say that
I'm doing piss-perfect.
How do you feel?
I don't feel...
anything.
Good, good. Let's go.
All right...
On behalf of the United States Army,
the Department of Defense,
the Joint Chiefs of Staff,
VFW and PTA, the commander in chief,
and above all these is me,
congratulations, Mr. Preston.
You have passed the bag.
- Good.
- Okay.
- You're the greatest!
- Hey.
- I passed the bag, thanks to you.
- Hey!
- Want to help me celebrate?
- Yeah, I'd love to.
Wow! You look amazing.
This old thing? I just threw it on
as I was walking out the door.
- You still have her.
- Yeah.
Some things should never change.
I'll put your suitcase in the trunk.
- What are you doing?
- I'm driving.
You knew that, didn't you?
Okay, hotrod.
Put the pedal to the metal,
and let's see what you got.
Whoa, good night!
Wouldn't it be terrific if we could
get a house here and live together?
Why? There's nothing out here.
- 'Cause then, honey, I'd have you all to myself.
- Oh, Jake!
- Why'd you change?
- Less to take off.
Let's skip dinner.
God, it is beautiful.
You're beautiful.
Patience. Anticipation.
Food.
You know, I learned something today.
- In the bag?
- Yeah.
About dominance.
Put your right hand out to the side.
Close your left eye.
Good. Now, let's see...
Put your left hand out to that side,
and close your right eye.
Jake!
We never talked about it
But I hear the blame was mine
I'd call you up to say I'm sorry
But I wouldn't want to waste your time
'Cause I love you,
but I can't take any more
There's a look I can't describe in your eyes
If we could try, like we tried before
Would you keep on telling me those lies?
Telling me lies
Do you remember?
Do you remember?
Do you remember?
Through all of my life
In spite of all the pain
You know people are funny sometimes
'Cause they just can't wait
to get hurt again
Tell me, do you remember?
I hear there's a great place
a couple of miles up a dirt road,
where we can swim sans clothes.
Jake, I gotta get back.
No. Today is sangria day.
I can't.
I've got a FLIR test flight
with Scott in 2 hours.
Well, you're just gonna have to get on the horn
with the buzz-man and tell him you have plans.
You want to make the mission, right?
So if you had the same choice,
a flight with Little or a picnic with me,
what would you do?
Do I always have to ask you first?
Jake, if you ask me first, I'll go
damn near anywhere, if you tell me.
You go alone.
Good thing about the army.
I only have to take orders
from my superiors.
You drive a scout. I drive the Apache.
And therefore, I am your superior, darling.
Now, get in the car and I'll drive you home.
Come on, Jake. I'm driving.
I'm driving!
No!
Thank you.
I'm sorry about the sangria.
Hey, baby, don't you ever want me to win?
No.
Today you are entering the final
phase of aerial combat training.
You'll engage in air-to-air combat
with your flight instructors.
Your scores today will be
the determining factor
for selection to the Apache task force.
Good luck up there today, troopers.
Thanks for getting me through the bag.
Well, it's my job to get you through the bag.
You've done very well. I'm glad to see it.
Just so you know,
I will be kicking your ass today.
Good. All right! Good, good.
Hotrodder ops, this is Rattler.
Ready for a rich full day. Out.
Roger. Proceed with Stinger
to sector kilo. Over.
Hotrodder ops, this is Stinger.
Roger. Out.
Okay, boys. Let's go to our corners
and come out fighting.
These guys are serious, Jake.
All right, it's time now.
- Breaker?
- Yeah.
- Do you like history?
- No.
You better start liking it,
because we're about to make it.
Bring 'em on!
Jumpball, kids.
Let's see who comes down with it.
Get me up there, Jake.
Get me in position.
You want position?
You got position.
Oh, shit! That kid's good.
Come on, come on! I can't lock him.
Come on, we've got to get away.
He's got position on us.
Not bad flying for a couple of old-timers.
Old-timers, my ass!
Those guys can fly, man.
Now, Breaker.
Let's get 'em.
Get me closer, Jake.
I got lock.
Shit, Brad! He's got a lock on us.
Not for long.
Come on, come on! I can't lock him.
Look alive, Rice.
Good-bye, boys, try again.
Hang on to your rice, man.
Let's see if they can keep up with this.
Where'd they go?
- Where is he, Breaker?
- I don't know.
Clever, chief.
Come on, Grandpa. Let's do it.
Okay, get ready for that little pair, Rice.
Done deal. We're gonna park it right here.
I've lost him, Jake.
He's taken the vertical.
I'm going over the top.
Damn, that was a sweet move!
Come on, let's get 'em.
He's gonna pop right through that notch.
That old slick's hiding in a hole.
He wants vertical,
I'll give him vertical with a twist.
Look who we found.
Hasta la bye-bye, chief.
Nose down, Breaker.
- I got lock!
- Now!
Missiles's gone.
Shit!
He's toast. That was great flying, man.
Rattler, they just notified your next of kin.
I got your next of kin.
Well done, boys. Very well done.
Let's go to house, get some supper.
Good flying, Preston.
Intelligence reports the cartel
offensive is set to launch.
All the major players are there,
but we do not know for how long.
The DEA mustn't let this oportunity
slip through their fingers.
- How much time do we have, sir?
- We have to move immediately.
We have less than 24 hours
to eliminate this threat.
Any word on Stoller?
He's there, making sure
that we don't get near them.
- Morning, troopers. Let's do it.
- Sir. Yes, sir.
Task force, attention!
At ease. Listen up!
In less than 24 hours, you'll be asked
to use what you've learned here.
Our mission is to fly support for a
DEA operation of critical importance...
Operation "Fire Bird".
We launch immediately.
We move out tomorrow morning
for a staging area in South America.
Once we're on the ground down there,
you'll get a full background briefing
and your operations order.
What I can tell you now, folks,
is that we will be going air-to-air
against a Scorpion attack
helicopter and its backup.
Now, there'll be officials
on hand down there
to arrest cartel leaders.
Our job is...
to make damn sure they get that chance.
That's all. Carry on. Let's get hot.
- Congratulations, Jake.
- Thank you, Colonel.
- Okay.
- All right.
- Good luck.
- Right, Jake.
Brad, I've been reviewing the gun
camera tapes from your training flights.
Every man has got his place
of maximum effect.
Brad Little's is with this Apache
task force flying the mission.
You're my flight leader, Brad.
I knew that.
I want to talk to you before I leave.
I've got a lot do.
We can talk on the flight down.
What do you mean in the flight down?
On the flight to South America.
How the hell did that happen?
I asked and A.K. cleared it.
They allowed you to go into combat?
I don't believe I'm hearing this.
Billie, wait a second.
Oh, you think it's fine for me to be a pilot
as long as there's nothing at stake,
but a dangerous mission going
that's only for men.
Thanks, Jake. I have my orders.
Why is it so hard for you to understand
that I just don't want you to get hurt?!
I chose this career, and you,
my friend, are gonna to accept it.
"My friend"?!
The Bisante cartel has been amassing
heavy arms and military personel
for an attack on a friendly government.
And we must stop them.
Every operation that the DEA
and our South American allies
has mounted has been
blown away by Eric Stoller.
We believe they are about to airlift
some of the major figures in
the cartel under Stoller's cover.
The local government is sick and tired
of having their army chewed up
by this guy in the air.
Now, they've asked for your help.
They're counting on you. Colonel...
All right, people. On your feet.
Get some sleep.
- Sleep well?
- Hell, no.
What do you think?
It all depends on things
we don't know right now.
You can train all you want
and know you're capable,
but when it comes time to let it rip, you begin
to wonder what you're really gonna do.
Whether you're gonna take it up
or bring it down,
or whether you're gonna
ever see an orange again.
Makes for a long night.
Oh, a long night's been around for
a hundred thousands of years, kid,
full of men waiting to go into battle.
You know, I think everyone I know has
been walking and talking all night long.
- Huh?
- Yeah.
You got chops you haven't even
begin to dream of you, kid.
Just relax. Your instincts and
your training will take over.
Count on it. You had a brilliant teacher.
You know, I've been
pretty arrogant with you.
Mm-hm.
I mean, I'm vain and I know I'm great,
but you're definitely the best.
No, you're better.
I can't learn anymore. You can.
Every time we went up together,
I kept thinking...
"Damn, that kid is good!
How'd he figure that one out?"
You're a natural.
You're a natural. You've got a lot of talent.
How about that roll-out
you did during the fly-off?
Man, I had you dead.
Nobody but you could have done that.
Don't get me wrong.
I'm not saying I'm not a genius.
You know, I joined the army
for the same reason you did.
And that's to kick ass. Just like in the
old war movies, you know, be a hero.
That's what I'm looking for in you.
A first-class all-American hero
with his heart and brain wired together
cooking full tilt boogie
for freedom and justice.
Okay? It's the oldest, corniest
story in the whole world.
By God, this could be a happy day.
Billie, Coronel!
Incoming missiles!
Let's get them in the air!
Get the helicopters in the air!
Get up, get up, get up!
Scott's dead. I'm on my own.
Hotrodder ops, this is Rattler.
Do you copy? Over.
Roger, Rattler, and Night Rider 6.
I am your Lima Charlie. How many? Over.
Lima Charlie, they shot down
Rives and Tippet on take-off.
Myself, Davis and Proctor are riding
shotgun for the Black Hawks. Over.
Guthrie, this is flight leader.
You have two very bad boys up here
looking for something to do.
Locate ground radar.
Check all canyon rims.
When you find it, let us know.
We'll blow it up.
I don't want these sons of bitches
knowing where we're at.
Roger, Rattler.
Rebel is hunting.
Found it. Site unmanned.
Proceed to 3708.
Roger that. We're on our way.
Stoller's out there. I can smell him.
Go find him, kid.
Okay, we're coming up on the coordinates.
Looking high, looking low.
Find me a bunch of high-tech shit
on the rim of that canyon.
- All right, Rice man.
- I see it, Grandpa.
Locking in the missiles.
Make that damn thing go away, son.
Good shooting, Rice man.
Okay, they're working without radar now.
What's happening, Guthrie?
There it is.
What's happening, Guthrie?
Talk to me! Talk to me!
Rebel's located enemy airstrip.
Evacuation underway.
Request fire support.
I've got a fast-mover bogey at heading 070.
This area is heavily armed.
Apaches rolling in hot.
That's yours, Stinger.
Wait a minute.
I'm picking up something else.
It's Stoller!
Billie, listen to me.
Keep moving and stay close to rocks.
Don't give him a target. Just keep moving!
Oh, God!
Stoller's closing! I'm not gonna make it.
Baby, don't panic.
If you keep moving, he can't lock on.
I'm on my way.
Oh, Jake, save my ass.
You're not touching her,
you filthy piece of shit!
Jake, don't let him get away.
Stinger, this Rattler.
Have you engaged? Over.
We're on him, Rattler.
All right, here we go. Grab your ass, Rice.
I'm gonna get you closer, buddy,
but you've got to nail him.
- Missed!
- Stay on him.
Ah, shit!
He's getting away!
Damn, he's fast!
Where the hell is he?
Wait a minute, I hear him.
That's not Stoller.
I got him.
Rattler, need some help here.
We've got a bogey fast-mover,
coming hot and heavy.
Know what you got, kid.
Listen to your old coach.
We're right behind you. Just bring him to me,
and Rice-man will punch his lights out.
- Do it Rattler.
- We'll never make it, Jake.
Keep him tracking, son.
Just lead him on and bring him to us.
You've got to get me in closer.
One shot, Rice-man.
I don't want to lose this kid.
If I could just get around that ridge.
We're gonna make our move, Rattler.
He's on us, Jake.
We've got to do something.
Got him down on 3.
Stay on him. He shows his skull,
we got him.
- He's got us on missile lock!
- We're there. He's yours.
Look for the sweet spot.
Look for the sweet spot, baby.
Lock on!
Not bad shooting for an old dog like you, Rice.
Thanks, Grandpa.
Solid gold, Rattler. That was solid gold.
What goes on, Guthrie?
Looking. Unmasking to take a peek.
There is another fast-mover
at your 1 o'clock.
What, they got a whole
air force down here now?
It's Stoller! Get out of there!
- Shit, he's on our 6:00!
- Hang on, Rice.
- He's tracking Little.
- I'm coming around.
Goddamn, we're gonna get shot at!
Brace yourself, Rice-man. Brace yourself!
Where is he? Where is he? Where is he?!
Shit! We lost the tail rotor!
Help me out, Rice!
How's the main rotor RPM?
RPM's dropping! It's dropping!
I'm pulling Stoller out of the area.
- Stoller's on our ass!
- Oh, yeah? Good!
Mayday, mayday!
Hotrodder ops, this is Rattler.
We are going in.
Hang on, big boy.
Rattler, mayday, mayday!
We are going in.
Shit, Brad, find us a soft spot, man.
He missed!
Billie, your area is clear.
Get in and check on Rattler.
Roger. I have him in sight.
There was no explosion, no fires.
I'm going in to see if they're alive.
That make you nervous, Breaker?
No. The guy on our ass
is making me nervous.
Copy. Chill. We're out of here.
How's it going, Calvin?
Jake, only my mother calls me Calvin.
I am your mother now, Calvin.
- Rice?
- Dead.
- Can you move?
- No, my legs are broken.
Get your ass in here.
See if we have a good stinger.
Stoller's got in on us again.
Not for long.
This one looks okay.
Go to the aft compartment and
get the grip stock and the BCU.
What?
A little cigar-box looking thing
with a clip on it
and a little round thing that
looks like a coffee can.
You've got 20 seconds max.
Screw that coffee can inside that cigar box.
Good, Go pop three latches on that
missile and bring it over here.
Once he gets hot, wax him!
Oh, shit!
Put the flat end in the dirt.
Point the pistol grip down
at the ground of the cigar box.
Hinge the cigar box onto the missile.
- There. Mount it up.
- Okay.
Pop that latch. Very good.
Open up the side frame
with the square thing on the side.
- He's turning inbound.
- No, shit!
Put it on your shoulder.
Quick, quick, quick, quick, quick.
Pull down the metal looking thing
with your right thumb.
You are now activated!
Hide your ass!
Guthrie, turn around.
I've got him in my sight!
Shoot him in the ass.
Snort that, sucker.
We got him.
He's going vertical.
Where'd he go?
He's in the sun.
Stoller's on our ass!
Get ready to throw the dog a bone, Breaker.
He's getting in position!
I'm hit!
- How bad?
- I can't shoot.
All right, hang tight, buddy. He's mine.
Come on. Come on. Come to daddy.
Brace yourself, Breaker.
Let's see how good he really is.
Oops, you blew it.
I'm gonna kill him now!
That was for Dobbs.
This is Stinger. Request permission
to join Fire Bird support at airstrip.
Negative Stinger. DEA troops
are mopping up Fire Bird now.
They've arrested all cartel members.
Have the area under control.
Once you took out Stoller and
their air support, it was over.
Come on home.
Where's Billie and Little?
We just got confirmation on their position.
They're alive. Rice is dead.
Little is down and hurt,
but Billie's with him,
and that medevac bird
is just about to leave.
Go on. You're gonna miss the bus.
All right.
Christ, this hurts!
Where's the meat wagon?
Just over the hill, sir.
- Don't drop me.
- No, sir!
Christ! You drop me, it'll be the end
of life as you've come to know it
- in the US Army, trooper.
- Sir!
Did you kill him?
Yeah. Yeah, I killed him.
Good, son. Well done. Well done!
You look like a first-class hero, chief.
You, too, son. You both do.
First-class, all-American!
Well, you did it.
We did it.
Okay, we did it.
I'm not gonna argue.
Oh, yeah? Since when?
I'll give you a ride home.
- Great. I'll drive.
- No, I'm gonna drive.
- No, I'll drive.
- Jake, it's my helicopter. I'll drive.
No, no, no, no, no. I drive.
Find a way to my heart,
and I will always be with you
From wherever you are,
I'll be waiting
I'll keep a place in my heart,
you will see it shining through
So find a way to my heart,
and I will, I will follow you
This journey's not easy for you, I know
If your footsteps get too faint to hear, I'll go
'Cause you know,
questions are never that easy
And never the same
You will have the answer, believe me
If you have the faith
To find a way to my heart,
and I will always be with you
From wherever you are,
I'll be waiting
I'll keep a place in my heart,
you will see it shining through
So find a way to my heart,
and I will, I will follow you
Time may come, and time may go, I know
If you should call out for me, I'll go
But you know,
there is a code to be broken
I wrap it around
Without a word being spoken
Without a sound
There's a reason I hide my heart
Out of sight out of mind
And when I find out just who you are
The door will be open for you
To find a way to my heart,
and I will always be with you
From wherever you are,
I'll be waiting
I'll keep a place in my heart,
you will see it shining through
So find a way to my heart,
and I will, I will follow you
Oh, find a way to my heart,
and I will always be with you
From wherever you are,
I'll be waiting
I'll keep a place in my heart,
you will see it shining through
So find a way to my heart,
and I will, I will follow you