Elements of the Mountains

We hike into what looks like a bamboo forest and Marlow is beginning to trier of Packard, as am i, "Now, look, Colonel. You may outrank me... but I've been here a hell of a lot longer. And I'm telling you that thing that just shredded us was only the first of them. Now we're on their turf, and we need to turn back toot sweet!"

"Not as long as Chapman's still out there." Packard shake his head.

"I'm sorry, Colonel Packard." James holds up the dog tags, I didn't even know he'd grabbed, "Chapman is dead."

"Doesn't change a thing! We're still going to that crash site."

I scoff, "What's at that crash site that you want so badly?"

"Weapons! Enough to kill it."

I step up to Packard, James tries to stop me, but I get past him this time, "Kong didn't kill Chapman."

"But he did kill these men!" Packard holds up several dog tags. "My men!"

"You can't kill Kong. He is what's protecting this island, protecting you from those things. Kong is God on this island. He's the only thing keeping those lizard things underground!"

"She's right, Colonel." James agrees, "we can't kill Kong."

"Now that other creature? That's the threat. And there are more of them down there." i take a deep breath, "If you take away a species' natural competition... they'll proliferate out of control."

"Then we'll end them, too!" Packard gets in my face. "After we bring this thing down."

"I can't let you do that, Colonel." I shake my head. As I square up to Packard, Marlow draws the sword and points it at Packard.

"Wait! Hold your fire!" James orders, walking up to me and Packard, stepping between the two of us, "I'm gonna tell you this one time, stand down."

Packard nods and steps back. "This is one war we are not gonna lose."

When Packard moves away, Marlow lowers the sword, "Nuts! You hear me?"

I shake my head, "You need to listen!"

"We're not at war. You're making a mistake." Brooks comes to my defense.

"Your lies got my men killed!" Packard points a gun at Brooks.

I step in front of Brooks, "And you're gonna get us all killed!"

"Not our fight." James pulls me back behind him.

Packard moves the gun to James, "Whose side are you on, Captain?"

I try to step in front of James, but he holds me back, "Okay, Colonel. You'll find your Sea Stallion three klicks up that ridge. Now, I'm gonna take these civilians back to the boat, and we'll wait for you there. All right?" James puts his hands up. Packard points the gun at me and James takes a deep breath, "you shot her, I will kill you before your men can pull the trigger.

Packard takes longer than I'd like to make his decision, but he drops the gun, "Saddle up! Let's go kill this thing!" He looks toward the scientist, "Steve, you running with the big dogs or staying on the porch?"

Steve shakes his head, "I don't wanna be on the porch."

Once the men start to move out, I feel my legs fall out from under me and James helps to hold me up, "are you okay?"

I shake my head, "we need to stop him."

"You wanna talk with him about it again?" Weaver walks up to us, "He seemed to really go for it the first time."

James shakes his head, "He's losing his grip." James waits until I'm stable then grabs my hand and starts walking, "Now, follow me, and we'll get off this rock alive."