SCENE 12: BROTHERS-Constant Resolutions (Excerpt)
ETHAN: Gavin...what are you doing here?
GAVIN: Thought I would pay a visit and see how you were doing?
ETHAN: How I am doing? What about you? What happened?
GAVIN: What do you mean?
ETHAN: I heard little pieces of the story about what happened to your team in the President’s house.
GAVIN: I can’t really talk about it.
ETHAN: It’s me.
GAVIN: I don’t have much time. I have to go but I needed to see you, to tell you. If something happens to me, I wanted to tell you I’m sorry.
ETHAN: What? What do you mean if something happens to you? I don’t understand.
GAVIN: I can’t say anything more right now.
ETHAN: You don’t look so good - are you all right? Is there something I can do?
GAVIN: These people want freedom but don’t want to get their hands dirty.
ETHAN: These people were born into a world that hates them.
GAVIN: Then pick up a fucking gun and make a change.
ETHAN: Now violence can change things?
GAVIN: Putting a gun to a man’s head will certainly make him listen.
ETHAN: This isn’t you. What happened.
GAVIN: Honorable soldiers in dishonorable situations.
ETHAN: What does that mean?
GAVIN: I can’t tell you...I did what I had to.
ETHAN: Tell me.
GAVIN: We thought she was hiding something. She was a girl...no more than a girl.
ETHAN: Who?
GAVIN: To get the truth. To get to the bottom of it.
ETHAN: I don’t understand.
GAVIN: Violence, torture. These are ways to find the truth. The gruesome, horrible truth. She didn’t know anything. She didn’t know anything.
ETHAN: This is not my brother.
GAVIN: I’m sorry.
ETHAN: Is that what you are sorry about? Or, are you just feeling guilty about what you did to Tiffany?
GAVIN: What I did?
ETHAN: I really loved getting a break-up letter in the middle of the fucking desert. Telling me how wonderful I am. How much I mean to her. But that’s all gone to shit when she realized how your the best fucking man in the entire world. If she could only see you now - then what would she think?
Gavin rushes to Ethan and places a choke hold on him.
GAVIN: Please don’t push me. I am not strong enough to handle this bullshit from you right now. Just listen to me - I don’t want to hurt you, I came to talk to you.
Ethan breaks free and they begin to fight throughout the following dialogue.
ETHAN: Hurt me? Get the fuck off me. You always need to talk about what you need, what you want. What about what Tiffany needs? You were coming out of a bad relationship with Debra and started sleeping with Simone. And now, you are done with Simone, you are moving onto Tiffany.
GAVIN: It’s not like that at all.
ETHAN: I’m not going to let you hurt her!
GAVIN: I need to leave - I can’t do this.
ETHAN: That’s right. Keep running away from anything real.
GAVIN: You want real? Try scooping up brains and blood and guts - trying to put a seven year old boy back together -- Try seeing your mother killed...
ETHAN: I was there remember? Don’t you forget that.
GAVIN: Ethan, for the first time in my life...I’m scared.
ETHAN: Now it’s a sob story?
GAVIN: Listen, you don’t know what it is like out there. You don’t know what it is like to be alone.
ETHAN: Neither do you.
GAVIN: What?
ETHAN: You were never alone. I have been there, Right beside you since we were kids. You never chose to accept that. Fuck you. We are through. If you need anything from me - now you will see what it is like to actually, truly and really to be alone.
GAVIN: I....I am a Ranger. I know the hazards of my chosen profession...
ETHAN: What?
GAVIN:...I am an elite soldier. My country expects me to move farther, faster and fight harder than any other soldier...
ETHAN: What the fuck is this?
Ethan stops...Gavin shakes loose. Gavin starts to pace methodically,
as if looking for something.
GAVIN: ...I will show the world that I am a specially selected and well-trained soldier...
ETHAN: Cut the shit! Come on this is getting ridiculous.
Ethan believes this is an act in order to get attention.
GAVIN: ...I will meet the enemies of my country....
Ethan begins to feel concern for his brother and cautiously crosses
to him.
ETHAN: Gavin! Gavin. Gavin? Are you ok?
GAVIN: ...I will display the fortitude required to fight...
Ethan stops Gavin.
ETHAN: Gavin, please, talk to me..What’s going on?
GAVIN: ...I be the lone survivor...I will never fail...
ETHAN: Gavin! Gavin can you hear me?
GAVIN: ...I am an Army Ranger...
Ethan puts Gavins arm around his shoulder and they take a moment
before they start to move.
ETHAN: I’m getting you out of here....
A series of explosions from ground rockets and mortars are heard.
Piles of smoke, dust and debris are thrown onto the stage. A whoosh is heard, Ethan tackles Gavin. There is an explosion. They both stand cautiously. Another whoosh is heard, Gavin grabs Ethan and they both fall backwards behind a row of sandbags. As they hit the round...it explodes.
BLACK OUT
INTERMISSION