The Japanese panic and scatter. It's open season. They shoot at Doc and toward the American container.
A hail of bullets smashes into Doc. He is annihilated. His quad continues to speed ahead. Doc falls forward, slumped over the handlebars. The out-of-control quad takes him on a bizarre final death ride towards the horizon. He leaves a trail of blood behind him.
The Japanese regroup and cover behind their vehicles. A Japanese man takes charge of the Humvee's M2 and screams out orders. The Japanese run to their vehicles.
***
"Here they come!" Books yells down to the Americans.
"Doc? What about Doc?" Lloyd shouts.
Books bows his head. Shakes it. "They killed him."
"JESUS FUCKING CHRIST, BOOKS!" Lloyd erupts. "They didn't kill him—you fucking killed him! You let him go out there alone!"
***
The Japanese quad picks up a passenger. He stands and balances on the Honda's rear footpegs. In one hand he carries an M16, with his other hand he hangs on to the driver's shoulder.
The quad is flanked by the Humvee on its left and the dirt bike on its right. All vehicles accelerate through the warm, still air.
The passenger smiles to himself. His adrenaline rush builds. He begins to laugh, then laughs hysterically. He throws back his head and screams the Japanese war cry. "Tennōheika Banzai—TENNŌHEIKA BANZAI."
All the Japanese now scream. "TENNŌHEIKA BANZAI—TENNŌHEIKA BANZAI—TENNŌHEIKA BANZAI."
The convoy charges toward the Americans. The Japanese open fire.
***
Books warns, "WE GOT—" Bullets from the Japanese attack slam into the American container before he can finish. The noise is deafening. Instinctively, the Americans duck.
Rounds of Japanese 12mm skim over Books' body. He flattens himself tighter against the steel roof. The American container clatters and vibrates as more and more Japanese firepower hits. Books remains unfazed.
Above the racket, Sophia screams over at Lloyd, "Books tried to stop him. Doc was wrong!" She snarls, "You're wrong. Now pick up that GUN!"
"Bad day for morning sickness blues, lady," Lloyd yells.
Sophia sprints over to Lloyd and stands over him. She draws her pistol. Arms it. The pistol makes a loud click, as a bullet enters the chamber. She points the gun at Lloyd's head. She holds the gun steady.
"You ain't got murder in you," Lloyd sneers.
Sophia lowers the gun—points it at Lloyd's groin.
Lloyd looks worried. "Hey, hey—you don't know what you're doing." He calls for help, "Books? BOOKS?"
Sophia drops her aim again and pulls the pistol's trigger. The bullet just misses Lloyd's crotch and hits the ground.
"FUCK, LADY. BOOOOOOKS? Help me here. She's fucking lost it." Lloyd covers his crotch with both hands.
Sophia trains her pistol at Lloyd's forehead. Her finger squeezes the trigger. "Pick up that fucking gun or it's the last thing you do."
It's a standoff.
"We got no time for this," Jim yells over.
Sophia maintains her killer stance.
"Listen to the old man. I—you—we all got to save ourselves here," Lloyd pleads.
