The Incredible Hulk (1978) s03e23 Episode Script
On the Line
This fire was deliberately set.
So maybe it was David.
You got no proof.
And where there's smoke, there's fire.
See, I've been suspect all my life.
Then they're watching both of us.
You started those fires.
Maybe it would just be better if I got out of here.
If you do that, I'll call the police.
If that green creature of yours did exist, if he was up in those woods, he'd be nothing but a crispy critter by now.
Dr.
David Banner, physician, scientist.
Searching for a way to tap into the hidden strengths that all humans have.
Then, an accidental overdose of gamma radiation alters his body chemistry.
And now, when David Banner grows angry or outraged, a startling metamorphosis occurs.
The creature is driven by rage and pursued by an investigative reporter.
Mr.
McGee, don't make me angry.
You wouldn't like me when I'm angry.
The creature is wanted for a murder he didn't commit.
David Banner is believed to be dead.
And he must let the world think that he is dead until he can find a way to control the raging spirit that dwells within him.
Bob, over here if you can.
So, anyway, if one of your guys could give me a ride into Richland, I'd be right out of your way.
We could use you up here a couple days.
Did you clear those campers out of sectors four and five? Yeah, sure did.
Campers all over those hills.
That's one problem I never had fighting fires in Manhattan.
You gonna stick around and pitch in? Well, no, I Weaver, how does it look on the north end? The only thing that's gonna help us with this fire is a mid-summer snowstorm.
Those sectors were almost under control this morning.
A couple of new fires just broke out on the other side of the ridge.
That's upwind from the fire.
Yeah, well, I guess somebody forgot to tell the fire that it ain't supposed to do that.
All right.
You get that off to communications right away.
Did you get a chance to get something to eat? Yeah.
Toast is burned.
The eggs are cold.
Well, what are you worrying about? You got all them jellybeans.
All right.
Are they out of coffee again? No, they got plenty of coffee.
You can walk on it, but there's plenty of it.
I'll see you later.
Not enough men to fight this fire, let alone feed them.
Make up your mind yet? Look, I'd like to stay, but I can't.
See, I have extenuating circumstances.
What were you doing this far away from town? Camping.
How long? About three days.
Supply truck is leaving in 15 minutes.
Three days? Yeah.
Without a shirt.
No equipment, no sleeping bag, and no food.
Extenuating circumstances.
Good thing our driver spotted you.
Yeah, I'm grateful.
How grateful? Very.
But not enough to stay up here a couple of days.
I'm not a firefighter.
Can you make coffee? Yeah.
Fry eggs? Uh I'll settle for scrambled.
Now, you can run water up to the men on the line.
You can bring any injured firefighter back into camp.
What I'm saying is, we saved your neck.
All I'm asking for is a little help.
With pay.
Well, it sounds like I'm being drafted.
You staying? Yeah, all right, yeah.
Well, don't expect any fancy thank you.
As far as I'm concerned, you're doing what any man would do in your situation.
Now, you'll get hazard pay, enough to buy yourself some camping equipment.
The equipment truck over there has fire-retardant jeans and shirts.
And any time you go near that fire line, you wear a hardhat, read me? Yeah.
Yeah, okay.
Okay, after you get cleaned up, you can run water up to the men on the line.
After that, you can serve lunch.
What's your name, anyway? David Brown.
What? David Brown.
Make sure there's fresh coffee.
Eric Wilson.
I don't usually grab civilians off the street or out of the forest, but until I get this fire cleared up, I need all the manpower I can get.
Now, you'll be doing every dirty job I can't spare a firefighter to do.
That's it, come on.
I need a hand over here.
Hot spot.
We got a hot spot.
You know, it doesn't matter how bad the fire is, I always get a reaction.
I'm sorry.
I was just surprised.
What, to see a woman doing man's work? It's okay.
I'm used to it.
My name's Phelps.
Randy Phelps.
David Brown.
Are you new? Yeah, I'm just helping out in the main tent, bringing water up to the line.
Oh, really? I'm just a little surprised to see a man doing woman's work.
Well, I don't think helping out is necessarily a woman's work.
Oh, well, then you're the exception to the rule, 'cause most men consider helping a woman's stock-in-trade.
You know, she's got to be protecting and nurturing.
She's got to be sensitive to the needs of others.
Boy, this is really something.
I tell you, I get something from fires I don't get from anywhere or anybody else.
I guess to most people, that just makes me something less than a woman, huh? I don't know.
Maybe you're just the exception to the rule.
Maybe I am.
Thanks.
Thanks a lot.
So much for freedom of the press.
Who is this guy Wilson, anyway? Wilson's the fire boss.
So it looks like both of our papers are gonna have to be satisfied with bulletins on the fire.
Well, what about that bulletin you had in your paper three days ago about sighting this creature up here? What we reported was that a witness described a creature running into the forest.
I don't suppose anybody described a creature or somebody running out of the forest, a normal man, average size, a little bit after the creature disappeared? Who remembers? That's the day the fire started, and that's the story now.
Listen, Willard, what do you figure the chances would be of our getting up there to where they reported this sighting? Yeah, that's up near the fire lines.
No civilians allowed up there.
Unless, of course, you're willing to volunteer to carry a shovel, maybe swallow some smoke.
Well Personally, I don't think I'd last too long up there.
And I don't think you'd last too long up there, either.
Besides, if that green creature of yours did exist, and if he was up in those woods, he'd be nothing but a crispy critter by now.
Want a ride back to town? Uh, no.
No thanks.
I think I'm gonna stick around here a little bit.
Hey, there's only one way in or out of there, in case you're thinking about sneaking inside.
And it's a 20-mile walk back to town.
Yeah, okay.
You men, get Anderson.
Unload him and take him in.
Be careful.
You reported sector three contained.
It was.
There wasn't so much as a spark.
Are you telling me I got another fire started upwind from the main blaze? Anderson was damned near killed.
It was me and Anderson who checked it out.
But I'm telling you, it had two burns.
The one that we contained this morning, and the one we just beat out now.
Eric, what do you think? It looks like some kind of incendiary device.
This fire was deliberately set.
Sundance One to tower.
Can you fly a couple of tankers over Cougar Ridge? Read you, Sundance One.
Fly by.
Tower to Five-Zero-Zulu.
Just got a report on Cougar Ridge.
We need another sweep around the area, over that sector three perimeter.
That's a roger, tower.
Five-Zero-Zulu to Six-Zero-Zulu.
Tower reports sector three is hot.
Let's load up and take a sweep through the saddle that runs along Cougar Ridge.
Sundance One to tower, any luck getting those tankers? Roger, Sundance, those tankers are loading and on their way.
Alert your crews to watch for those drops.
Roger, tower.
I'm picking up a plane over the north ridge now.
It's tough enough to fight the damned fire without worrying about arson.
Looks like it was started by some kind of explosive.
Oh, come on, guys.
What difference does it make how it got started? The difference is that somebody sick is causing an awful lot of trouble, and I, for one, don't relish going back out there knowing whoever it is is waiting.
You're not being paid to enjoy it, Weaver.
Well, I ain't being paid to go out on any suicide mission, either.
Yeah, you are.
Every firefighter out here is paid to take the risks nobody else is willing to take.
That is why we're so well paid for our work.
Right, Weaver? I don't mind taking the risk.
I just wanna know what it is that I'm fighting.
What's all the excitement? Well, I'm not Did I miss something? I don't know.
I'm not really sure.
It's just that Wilson seems to have come out on top.
Oh.
Well, that's usual.
Let's see, I'll just have a little of everything.
Okay.
Well.
What do you think of him? Wilson? Yeah.
Well, I don't really know him very well, but I do know one thing.
He doesn't like outsiders in camp.
Yeah.
Well, he used to be with the department in New York, and in the city, civilians just get in the way, so But you don't have to worry, 'cause you're not gonna be here long enough to be a problem.
Mmm-hmm.
Tell me something, have you done this job very long? All my life, it seems.
I used to hang around firehouses with a few other high-school girls.
Except I didn't wanna just hang around firefighters.
I wanted to be one of them.
Never outgrew it, huh? No.
Sometimes I wish I had.
'Cause I been learning how to fight more than just fires with this unit.
Like what? Like being different, being an outsider.
A lot of these guys here, they don't think I can do the job 'cause I'm a woman.
But inside, I'm more like I'm more like them than any civilian, male or female.
The common bond is there.
The common bond? We have to put our lives on the line all the time.
Being safe is like being dead.
You know? I love it.
Let's get some men on the other side of the ridge.
And you men, put some muscle behind those shovels.
We got to get a line around this fire.
Hey, I got a man down over here! Get an oxygen mask on Mackie and take him back to camp.
The road should be clear, but keep an eye out for any burns on the way.
Hey! Randy! Mackie all right? Yeah, he's down at the hospital in Richland.
What in the hell happened out there to make you leave him? I saw a couple of small fires by the side of the road.
I went down to put them out, by the time I got back to the jeep, we were surrounded by fire.
Just happened to see the fires start.
Yes.
That all you saw? You ain't talking at all, and Mackie can't shut up about seeing you go over a hill that 10 seconds later was on fire.
In fact, he's convinced you started those fires.
But he's also ranting and raving about seeing a green man, so I think he got a little too much oxygen.
At least that's what I'll try and convince the other men and some nosy reporter I got camped outside.
Look, maybe it would just be better if I got out of here.
If you do that, I'll call the police.
Just in case Mackie wasn't seeing things.
My guess is, they'll find the man who's setting those fires, and you'll be off the hook.
Besides, I still need an extra pair of hands.
Have you ever stopped to consider that most of the men may not wanna work with someone they think is an arsonist? Seems to me that a few dirty looks are preferable to spending time with a state trooper.
Extenuating circumstances and all.
David, you all right? Yes.
Well, did Wilson say anything? More to the point, did I say anything? I didn't tell Wilson you were there.
I thought you might like the opportunity of explaining.
Well, what do you want me to explain? Why were you there? Well, I was doing some reconnaissance, and I saw that smoke.
Well, then, when I called at you, why did you run away? Because I went to get some help, that's why.
And you don't believe me, huh? But you're not gonna accuse me of arson, then.
Not as long as you have a reasonable doubt.
Wrong place, wrong time.
That's happened to me.
And where there's smoke, there's fire.
Listen, this is not new to me.
See, I've been suspect all my life.
When you're 10 and you're a tomboy, it's real cute.
But when you're 16, it's a lot less cute.
My parents, they started getting concerned about me, 'cause I'm out listening to police calls instead of listening to the Top 40 like all the other girls.
And skirt lengths are going up and down, and I'm not even noticing, because I'm out chasing fire engines instead of worrying about the latest fashion like the other girls.
You know, this is not new to me.
See, I live here.
And when you're different, everybody's watching you real careful.
Then they're watching both of us.
Except they think that you're setting the fires, and at least you got a chance to prove that they're wrong, but How do I prove that I'm not different? I am different.
Will you get that piece of junk out of here? I got some new volunteers coming in.
Come on, move it! Mackie, Mackie, don't worry about it.
What do you mean, don't We'll unload.
Leave the truck here.
Get on down here.
What do we got? New volunteers coming in.
Get them up to the equipment truck.
All right, guys, the equipment truck is up front! Let's go.
Let's unload and let's move it! I hope these guys are good, man.
I don't know.
All right, let's go! This is the fire boss! If you have any questions, just holler out, okay? If you need anything, just yell! Come on, let's go, let's move it, guys! Come on! Gum drops? Whoa, whoa.
Well, we just got a bunch of volunteers.
Looks like we might get a little break.
Did you get a chance to talk to Wilson? Yeah.
He's sticking with the line that Mackie was getting too much oxygen.
Didn't know what he was seeing.
He was talking about big green men.
Mackie didn't say the big green man was setting those fires.
He said David did it.
I believe him.
You can't bust a guy on no evidence.
No evidence? That last set of fires was in sector eight.
Sector eight was cleared of all civilians two days ago.
The fire bug is working out of this camp.
Come off it, Weaver.
I mean, this guy David I mean, it just doesn't figure.
Look, let me tell you a story.
When I was a kid, somebody stole my bike.
All right? Now, I looked everywhere for it.
I gave the third degree to every kid in school.
I went crying to my Dad, and he found it the very first spot he looked.
He went to the home of the new kid on the block.
So maybe it was David.
You got no proof.
Hell, when my life is on the line, I don't need proof.
Gut tells me what's going on.
Got problems with your gut, Weaver? I was just telling Bennett that I believe Mackie's story about David.
I just told you Mackie wasn't seeing things too clearly.
You're letting him stay after you know how we feel about him? And you know how I feel about civilians on the line.
Hell, you all do.
But I'm bringing volunteers in from town.
Between injuries and clearing campers out of those hills, I am running out of bodies to fight this fire.
Yeah, well, when I check out, you're going to be short one more man.
Let it go, Weaver.
What is it with him? I mean, what's the matter? Can't I say what I think anymore? Sometimes it helps to think before you say it.
You seem to forget we're all on the same side here.
We were.
We were when we all went to the same school together.
We were when we all grew up in the same town together.
Our wives shopped together.
Our kids went to the same schools together.
And then the county goes off and hires this big-city hero.
And the first thing he does, the very first thing he does, is pass over three guys from Richland to hire Randy.
Randy's okay.
But she's not one of us.
And neither is David.
Look, when I'm fighting a fire, I want to know who it is that's covering my back.
You know, I I wonder how our fire bug would feel if he had to fight the fires he sets, huh? Come on, Weaver.
Somebody's going to get hurt.
Come on, now, nobody's going to get hurt.
It'll be like fighting fire with fire.
Huh? Come on.
Sorry.
Oh, that's all right.
Nobody usually comes back here.
Boy, it's so pretty.
Everybody always is too close to it to really see it.
I can't understand why no one paints fire.
Don't they? No.
They paint seascapes, sunsets, clouds, pieces of fruit, but they don't paint fire.
Yeah, most people are a little afraid of fire.
But they shouldn't be.
I mean, it's energy, it's just pure energy, it's just changing form.
It's beautiful.
I think this one's about over, anyway.
Mmm.
I always get sad when the fire's over.
You should be looking forward to a hot bath, a soft bed, spending time with your family.
But you're not, are you? No.
You're going to miss the men.
Even Weaver.
Ashes in your mouth and your eyes, working till you can't stand anymore.
Yeah, you're just like me.
We come in early, leave late.
Put off our Vacations for as long as we can.
We always manage to cut our trips short for one very good reason or another.
We'll do anything not to be alone, have other people around us.
To feel they need us just as much as we need them.
Wilson.
Wilson here.
The fire's jumped outside the line on the north end.
Which crew is on it? Sundance One and Two.
Let's go, over here.
What happened? One minute she was okay, then she just dropped! Come on, over here! She doesn't appear to be hurt.
She was lying down.
I don't know what happened to her! Hey, somebody, I need help! All right, she needs oxygen and you got it.
Are you all right? Grab a shovel, get a shovel! Are you okay? Fine, fine.
Just shovel.
Look, don't you need some help here? No.
If we don't get this now, it's going to cut off the road! Come on! Now we'll see how our fire bug likes fighting the fires he sets.
Come on.
God, I'm glad you're here.
Don't thank me, thank Weaver! He thinks that I'm the arsonist.
This is his idea of rehabilitation! I'm sorry.
I'm sorry you're taking the blame for me not telling you the truth.
Look, this is hardly time for a confession, Randy.
Hey, I didn't start those fires.
I think it was Wilson.
Yeah, when you and Mackie got trapped by the fire, I saw Wilson there a few minutes before it got started.
Did you tell anybody? No, I'm like you.
I wasn't going to tell anybody who set those fires until I was sure myself.
Hey! Hey, we need help over here, please! Go! Help us! Are you okay? I'll get you some water.
Hey, hey, you better go get some help, the fire's beating us.
Go on, get some help! You all right? All right, come on, now.
Please.
You got to help us.
Come on.
Help! Hey, help! Help! Hey, help! Help! My girlfriend, she's hurt! I couldn't bring her down by myself! Well, where is she? She's at Falls Lake.
All right, you stay right here, wait a minute.
Okay, here, you put this on, now.
Here, you put this on, too, okay? Hey, Joe, let's go! Look, lady, I'm a reporter, not a firefighter.
Well, then, you stay here, and when help comes, you tell them that we have an injured camper back at Falls Lake.
Hurry! Hey, we need some help.
I have an emergency! Weaver Where's the firefighter? The one who was just here? Some kid came down the hill.
Said his girlfriend was hurt.
Your firefighter went to help.
Where? Did she say where? Yeah, at Falls Lake.
Hey, you head back to camp! My pleasure.
Help! You all right? Can you move at all? No.
No? No! Help me, please.
Well, I'll tell you what I'm going to do.
I'll go back up the cliff, and I'll see if I can get a helicopter, and we'll airlift her out of here on a stretcher, all right? Okay, hurry! Can't get back up that way.
We're going to have to stay here for a while, okay? The fire has cut us off.
Oh boy, and we can't get out that way, either.
You got them spotted yet? Yeah, looks like they're stuck in Falls Canyon.
The valley's been burning for an hour, so they must have climbed down the ridge.
But that ridge just caught a few minutes ago.
Can we lift them out? No way.
The wind's blowing above the canyon at 70 miles an hour.
I've got a couple of borate tankers right behind me.
We can try to drop a full load on that ridge.
But with these winds, we're shooting craps.
The forestry water tower.
That's above Falls Canyon, isn't it? Yeah.
What about it? You're not thinking of blowing that tower, are you? There's only one man that I can think of that might have explosives out here.
Wilson, have you got those explosives with you now? What's he talking about? Wilson? What are you doing with explosives? Hey, look! Over here, hurry! Hey, over here! No, get down! He's going to drop 600 pounds of water.
Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Oh, no! What are you doing with the explosives, Wilson? What, did you find them out on the line? You had them stashed out there and Wilson found them? No! Well, what is he doing with explosives? Wilson, it's you! The hero of the outfit is the fire bug! What's the matter? Were things too slow for you, so you started your own fires? What's the matter, not enough victims for you to save? Weaver, this isn't the time! There aren't enough victims to save, so you set your own fires? Can't be a hero without all those death-defying rescues you're so famous for! Weaver, stop it! Only this time it backfired! You're not going to be able to save your victims, because they're going to die because of you! Wait a minute, look, he's trying to save them now! Don't you understand? Stop it! Weaver, you and David get behind those rocks! Weaver, come on! All right, here's your helmet.
Go! How long is it going to take? He's going to have to get to cover.
When the tower blows, Wilson blows with it.
What? The remote control was shattered.
He's got to detonate the charge by hand.
Well, why didn't you stop him? Unless that tower blows, Randy's dead.
Well, we've got to stop him! Stay down! Hey, all right, we're saved! Okay, all right! All right! Yahoo! You okay, baby? Yeah.
Well, it's hardly the same place it was when I got here a few days ago.
Yeah, when the fire dies, so does the camp.
I'm kind of glad about Wilson, now that he's already down in Richland, 'cause he really hated to see the fire end.
Yeah.
You know, his doctors say that the same kind of thing can happen to police and soldiers.
You know, the excitement, the camaraderie that happens, even the danger.
It's Of course, someone like you, I don't know.
I mean, you know, it's got to be very hard to really understand what it's like to To be called a hero.
To have the power to save people's lives.
Sometimes it's got to get out of control, you know? Well, I I think I understand.
Well Goodbye, Randy.
Bye.
I'm glad to meet you.
Very nice to have met you, too.
Thank you for everything.
Okay.
Bye.
Bye-bye.
So maybe it was David.
You got no proof.
And where there's smoke, there's fire.
See, I've been suspect all my life.
Then they're watching both of us.
You started those fires.
Maybe it would just be better if I got out of here.
If you do that, I'll call the police.
If that green creature of yours did exist, if he was up in those woods, he'd be nothing but a crispy critter by now.
Dr.
David Banner, physician, scientist.
Searching for a way to tap into the hidden strengths that all humans have.
Then, an accidental overdose of gamma radiation alters his body chemistry.
And now, when David Banner grows angry or outraged, a startling metamorphosis occurs.
The creature is driven by rage and pursued by an investigative reporter.
Mr.
McGee, don't make me angry.
You wouldn't like me when I'm angry.
The creature is wanted for a murder he didn't commit.
David Banner is believed to be dead.
And he must let the world think that he is dead until he can find a way to control the raging spirit that dwells within him.
Bob, over here if you can.
So, anyway, if one of your guys could give me a ride into Richland, I'd be right out of your way.
We could use you up here a couple days.
Did you clear those campers out of sectors four and five? Yeah, sure did.
Campers all over those hills.
That's one problem I never had fighting fires in Manhattan.
You gonna stick around and pitch in? Well, no, I Weaver, how does it look on the north end? The only thing that's gonna help us with this fire is a mid-summer snowstorm.
Those sectors were almost under control this morning.
A couple of new fires just broke out on the other side of the ridge.
That's upwind from the fire.
Yeah, well, I guess somebody forgot to tell the fire that it ain't supposed to do that.
All right.
You get that off to communications right away.
Did you get a chance to get something to eat? Yeah.
Toast is burned.
The eggs are cold.
Well, what are you worrying about? You got all them jellybeans.
All right.
Are they out of coffee again? No, they got plenty of coffee.
You can walk on it, but there's plenty of it.
I'll see you later.
Not enough men to fight this fire, let alone feed them.
Make up your mind yet? Look, I'd like to stay, but I can't.
See, I have extenuating circumstances.
What were you doing this far away from town? Camping.
How long? About three days.
Supply truck is leaving in 15 minutes.
Three days? Yeah.
Without a shirt.
No equipment, no sleeping bag, and no food.
Extenuating circumstances.
Good thing our driver spotted you.
Yeah, I'm grateful.
How grateful? Very.
But not enough to stay up here a couple of days.
I'm not a firefighter.
Can you make coffee? Yeah.
Fry eggs? Uh I'll settle for scrambled.
Now, you can run water up to the men on the line.
You can bring any injured firefighter back into camp.
What I'm saying is, we saved your neck.
All I'm asking for is a little help.
With pay.
Well, it sounds like I'm being drafted.
You staying? Yeah, all right, yeah.
Well, don't expect any fancy thank you.
As far as I'm concerned, you're doing what any man would do in your situation.
Now, you'll get hazard pay, enough to buy yourself some camping equipment.
The equipment truck over there has fire-retardant jeans and shirts.
And any time you go near that fire line, you wear a hardhat, read me? Yeah.
Yeah, okay.
Okay, after you get cleaned up, you can run water up to the men on the line.
After that, you can serve lunch.
What's your name, anyway? David Brown.
What? David Brown.
Make sure there's fresh coffee.
Eric Wilson.
I don't usually grab civilians off the street or out of the forest, but until I get this fire cleared up, I need all the manpower I can get.
Now, you'll be doing every dirty job I can't spare a firefighter to do.
That's it, come on.
I need a hand over here.
Hot spot.
We got a hot spot.
You know, it doesn't matter how bad the fire is, I always get a reaction.
I'm sorry.
I was just surprised.
What, to see a woman doing man's work? It's okay.
I'm used to it.
My name's Phelps.
Randy Phelps.
David Brown.
Are you new? Yeah, I'm just helping out in the main tent, bringing water up to the line.
Oh, really? I'm just a little surprised to see a man doing woman's work.
Well, I don't think helping out is necessarily a woman's work.
Oh, well, then you're the exception to the rule, 'cause most men consider helping a woman's stock-in-trade.
You know, she's got to be protecting and nurturing.
She's got to be sensitive to the needs of others.
Boy, this is really something.
I tell you, I get something from fires I don't get from anywhere or anybody else.
I guess to most people, that just makes me something less than a woman, huh? I don't know.
Maybe you're just the exception to the rule.
Maybe I am.
Thanks.
Thanks a lot.
So much for freedom of the press.
Who is this guy Wilson, anyway? Wilson's the fire boss.
So it looks like both of our papers are gonna have to be satisfied with bulletins on the fire.
Well, what about that bulletin you had in your paper three days ago about sighting this creature up here? What we reported was that a witness described a creature running into the forest.
I don't suppose anybody described a creature or somebody running out of the forest, a normal man, average size, a little bit after the creature disappeared? Who remembers? That's the day the fire started, and that's the story now.
Listen, Willard, what do you figure the chances would be of our getting up there to where they reported this sighting? Yeah, that's up near the fire lines.
No civilians allowed up there.
Unless, of course, you're willing to volunteer to carry a shovel, maybe swallow some smoke.
Well Personally, I don't think I'd last too long up there.
And I don't think you'd last too long up there, either.
Besides, if that green creature of yours did exist, and if he was up in those woods, he'd be nothing but a crispy critter by now.
Want a ride back to town? Uh, no.
No thanks.
I think I'm gonna stick around here a little bit.
Hey, there's only one way in or out of there, in case you're thinking about sneaking inside.
And it's a 20-mile walk back to town.
Yeah, okay.
You men, get Anderson.
Unload him and take him in.
Be careful.
You reported sector three contained.
It was.
There wasn't so much as a spark.
Are you telling me I got another fire started upwind from the main blaze? Anderson was damned near killed.
It was me and Anderson who checked it out.
But I'm telling you, it had two burns.
The one that we contained this morning, and the one we just beat out now.
Eric, what do you think? It looks like some kind of incendiary device.
This fire was deliberately set.
Sundance One to tower.
Can you fly a couple of tankers over Cougar Ridge? Read you, Sundance One.
Fly by.
Tower to Five-Zero-Zulu.
Just got a report on Cougar Ridge.
We need another sweep around the area, over that sector three perimeter.
That's a roger, tower.
Five-Zero-Zulu to Six-Zero-Zulu.
Tower reports sector three is hot.
Let's load up and take a sweep through the saddle that runs along Cougar Ridge.
Sundance One to tower, any luck getting those tankers? Roger, Sundance, those tankers are loading and on their way.
Alert your crews to watch for those drops.
Roger, tower.
I'm picking up a plane over the north ridge now.
It's tough enough to fight the damned fire without worrying about arson.
Looks like it was started by some kind of explosive.
Oh, come on, guys.
What difference does it make how it got started? The difference is that somebody sick is causing an awful lot of trouble, and I, for one, don't relish going back out there knowing whoever it is is waiting.
You're not being paid to enjoy it, Weaver.
Well, I ain't being paid to go out on any suicide mission, either.
Yeah, you are.
Every firefighter out here is paid to take the risks nobody else is willing to take.
That is why we're so well paid for our work.
Right, Weaver? I don't mind taking the risk.
I just wanna know what it is that I'm fighting.
What's all the excitement? Well, I'm not Did I miss something? I don't know.
I'm not really sure.
It's just that Wilson seems to have come out on top.
Oh.
Well, that's usual.
Let's see, I'll just have a little of everything.
Okay.
Well.
What do you think of him? Wilson? Yeah.
Well, I don't really know him very well, but I do know one thing.
He doesn't like outsiders in camp.
Yeah.
Well, he used to be with the department in New York, and in the city, civilians just get in the way, so But you don't have to worry, 'cause you're not gonna be here long enough to be a problem.
Mmm-hmm.
Tell me something, have you done this job very long? All my life, it seems.
I used to hang around firehouses with a few other high-school girls.
Except I didn't wanna just hang around firefighters.
I wanted to be one of them.
Never outgrew it, huh? No.
Sometimes I wish I had.
'Cause I been learning how to fight more than just fires with this unit.
Like what? Like being different, being an outsider.
A lot of these guys here, they don't think I can do the job 'cause I'm a woman.
But inside, I'm more like I'm more like them than any civilian, male or female.
The common bond is there.
The common bond? We have to put our lives on the line all the time.
Being safe is like being dead.
You know? I love it.
Let's get some men on the other side of the ridge.
And you men, put some muscle behind those shovels.
We got to get a line around this fire.
Hey, I got a man down over here! Get an oxygen mask on Mackie and take him back to camp.
The road should be clear, but keep an eye out for any burns on the way.
Hey! Randy! Mackie all right? Yeah, he's down at the hospital in Richland.
What in the hell happened out there to make you leave him? I saw a couple of small fires by the side of the road.
I went down to put them out, by the time I got back to the jeep, we were surrounded by fire.
Just happened to see the fires start.
Yes.
That all you saw? You ain't talking at all, and Mackie can't shut up about seeing you go over a hill that 10 seconds later was on fire.
In fact, he's convinced you started those fires.
But he's also ranting and raving about seeing a green man, so I think he got a little too much oxygen.
At least that's what I'll try and convince the other men and some nosy reporter I got camped outside.
Look, maybe it would just be better if I got out of here.
If you do that, I'll call the police.
Just in case Mackie wasn't seeing things.
My guess is, they'll find the man who's setting those fires, and you'll be off the hook.
Besides, I still need an extra pair of hands.
Have you ever stopped to consider that most of the men may not wanna work with someone they think is an arsonist? Seems to me that a few dirty looks are preferable to spending time with a state trooper.
Extenuating circumstances and all.
David, you all right? Yes.
Well, did Wilson say anything? More to the point, did I say anything? I didn't tell Wilson you were there.
I thought you might like the opportunity of explaining.
Well, what do you want me to explain? Why were you there? Well, I was doing some reconnaissance, and I saw that smoke.
Well, then, when I called at you, why did you run away? Because I went to get some help, that's why.
And you don't believe me, huh? But you're not gonna accuse me of arson, then.
Not as long as you have a reasonable doubt.
Wrong place, wrong time.
That's happened to me.
And where there's smoke, there's fire.
Listen, this is not new to me.
See, I've been suspect all my life.
When you're 10 and you're a tomboy, it's real cute.
But when you're 16, it's a lot less cute.
My parents, they started getting concerned about me, 'cause I'm out listening to police calls instead of listening to the Top 40 like all the other girls.
And skirt lengths are going up and down, and I'm not even noticing, because I'm out chasing fire engines instead of worrying about the latest fashion like the other girls.
You know, this is not new to me.
See, I live here.
And when you're different, everybody's watching you real careful.
Then they're watching both of us.
Except they think that you're setting the fires, and at least you got a chance to prove that they're wrong, but How do I prove that I'm not different? I am different.
Will you get that piece of junk out of here? I got some new volunteers coming in.
Come on, move it! Mackie, Mackie, don't worry about it.
What do you mean, don't We'll unload.
Leave the truck here.
Get on down here.
What do we got? New volunteers coming in.
Get them up to the equipment truck.
All right, guys, the equipment truck is up front! Let's go.
Let's unload and let's move it! I hope these guys are good, man.
I don't know.
All right, let's go! This is the fire boss! If you have any questions, just holler out, okay? If you need anything, just yell! Come on, let's go, let's move it, guys! Come on! Gum drops? Whoa, whoa.
Well, we just got a bunch of volunteers.
Looks like we might get a little break.
Did you get a chance to talk to Wilson? Yeah.
He's sticking with the line that Mackie was getting too much oxygen.
Didn't know what he was seeing.
He was talking about big green men.
Mackie didn't say the big green man was setting those fires.
He said David did it.
I believe him.
You can't bust a guy on no evidence.
No evidence? That last set of fires was in sector eight.
Sector eight was cleared of all civilians two days ago.
The fire bug is working out of this camp.
Come off it, Weaver.
I mean, this guy David I mean, it just doesn't figure.
Look, let me tell you a story.
When I was a kid, somebody stole my bike.
All right? Now, I looked everywhere for it.
I gave the third degree to every kid in school.
I went crying to my Dad, and he found it the very first spot he looked.
He went to the home of the new kid on the block.
So maybe it was David.
You got no proof.
Hell, when my life is on the line, I don't need proof.
Gut tells me what's going on.
Got problems with your gut, Weaver? I was just telling Bennett that I believe Mackie's story about David.
I just told you Mackie wasn't seeing things too clearly.
You're letting him stay after you know how we feel about him? And you know how I feel about civilians on the line.
Hell, you all do.
But I'm bringing volunteers in from town.
Between injuries and clearing campers out of those hills, I am running out of bodies to fight this fire.
Yeah, well, when I check out, you're going to be short one more man.
Let it go, Weaver.
What is it with him? I mean, what's the matter? Can't I say what I think anymore? Sometimes it helps to think before you say it.
You seem to forget we're all on the same side here.
We were.
We were when we all went to the same school together.
We were when we all grew up in the same town together.
Our wives shopped together.
Our kids went to the same schools together.
And then the county goes off and hires this big-city hero.
And the first thing he does, the very first thing he does, is pass over three guys from Richland to hire Randy.
Randy's okay.
But she's not one of us.
And neither is David.
Look, when I'm fighting a fire, I want to know who it is that's covering my back.
You know, I I wonder how our fire bug would feel if he had to fight the fires he sets, huh? Come on, Weaver.
Somebody's going to get hurt.
Come on, now, nobody's going to get hurt.
It'll be like fighting fire with fire.
Huh? Come on.
Sorry.
Oh, that's all right.
Nobody usually comes back here.
Boy, it's so pretty.
Everybody always is too close to it to really see it.
I can't understand why no one paints fire.
Don't they? No.
They paint seascapes, sunsets, clouds, pieces of fruit, but they don't paint fire.
Yeah, most people are a little afraid of fire.
But they shouldn't be.
I mean, it's energy, it's just pure energy, it's just changing form.
It's beautiful.
I think this one's about over, anyway.
Mmm.
I always get sad when the fire's over.
You should be looking forward to a hot bath, a soft bed, spending time with your family.
But you're not, are you? No.
You're going to miss the men.
Even Weaver.
Ashes in your mouth and your eyes, working till you can't stand anymore.
Yeah, you're just like me.
We come in early, leave late.
Put off our Vacations for as long as we can.
We always manage to cut our trips short for one very good reason or another.
We'll do anything not to be alone, have other people around us.
To feel they need us just as much as we need them.
Wilson.
Wilson here.
The fire's jumped outside the line on the north end.
Which crew is on it? Sundance One and Two.
Let's go, over here.
What happened? One minute she was okay, then she just dropped! Come on, over here! She doesn't appear to be hurt.
She was lying down.
I don't know what happened to her! Hey, somebody, I need help! All right, she needs oxygen and you got it.
Are you all right? Grab a shovel, get a shovel! Are you okay? Fine, fine.
Just shovel.
Look, don't you need some help here? No.
If we don't get this now, it's going to cut off the road! Come on! Now we'll see how our fire bug likes fighting the fires he sets.
Come on.
God, I'm glad you're here.
Don't thank me, thank Weaver! He thinks that I'm the arsonist.
This is his idea of rehabilitation! I'm sorry.
I'm sorry you're taking the blame for me not telling you the truth.
Look, this is hardly time for a confession, Randy.
Hey, I didn't start those fires.
I think it was Wilson.
Yeah, when you and Mackie got trapped by the fire, I saw Wilson there a few minutes before it got started.
Did you tell anybody? No, I'm like you.
I wasn't going to tell anybody who set those fires until I was sure myself.
Hey! Hey, we need help over here, please! Go! Help us! Are you okay? I'll get you some water.
Hey, hey, you better go get some help, the fire's beating us.
Go on, get some help! You all right? All right, come on, now.
Please.
You got to help us.
Come on.
Help! Hey, help! Help! Hey, help! Help! My girlfriend, she's hurt! I couldn't bring her down by myself! Well, where is she? She's at Falls Lake.
All right, you stay right here, wait a minute.
Okay, here, you put this on, now.
Here, you put this on, too, okay? Hey, Joe, let's go! Look, lady, I'm a reporter, not a firefighter.
Well, then, you stay here, and when help comes, you tell them that we have an injured camper back at Falls Lake.
Hurry! Hey, we need some help.
I have an emergency! Weaver Where's the firefighter? The one who was just here? Some kid came down the hill.
Said his girlfriend was hurt.
Your firefighter went to help.
Where? Did she say where? Yeah, at Falls Lake.
Hey, you head back to camp! My pleasure.
Help! You all right? Can you move at all? No.
No? No! Help me, please.
Well, I'll tell you what I'm going to do.
I'll go back up the cliff, and I'll see if I can get a helicopter, and we'll airlift her out of here on a stretcher, all right? Okay, hurry! Can't get back up that way.
We're going to have to stay here for a while, okay? The fire has cut us off.
Oh boy, and we can't get out that way, either.
You got them spotted yet? Yeah, looks like they're stuck in Falls Canyon.
The valley's been burning for an hour, so they must have climbed down the ridge.
But that ridge just caught a few minutes ago.
Can we lift them out? No way.
The wind's blowing above the canyon at 70 miles an hour.
I've got a couple of borate tankers right behind me.
We can try to drop a full load on that ridge.
But with these winds, we're shooting craps.
The forestry water tower.
That's above Falls Canyon, isn't it? Yeah.
What about it? You're not thinking of blowing that tower, are you? There's only one man that I can think of that might have explosives out here.
Wilson, have you got those explosives with you now? What's he talking about? Wilson? What are you doing with explosives? Hey, look! Over here, hurry! Hey, over here! No, get down! He's going to drop 600 pounds of water.
Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Oh, no! What are you doing with the explosives, Wilson? What, did you find them out on the line? You had them stashed out there and Wilson found them? No! Well, what is he doing with explosives? Wilson, it's you! The hero of the outfit is the fire bug! What's the matter? Were things too slow for you, so you started your own fires? What's the matter, not enough victims for you to save? Weaver, this isn't the time! There aren't enough victims to save, so you set your own fires? Can't be a hero without all those death-defying rescues you're so famous for! Weaver, stop it! Only this time it backfired! You're not going to be able to save your victims, because they're going to die because of you! Wait a minute, look, he's trying to save them now! Don't you understand? Stop it! Weaver, you and David get behind those rocks! Weaver, come on! All right, here's your helmet.
Go! How long is it going to take? He's going to have to get to cover.
When the tower blows, Wilson blows with it.
What? The remote control was shattered.
He's got to detonate the charge by hand.
Well, why didn't you stop him? Unless that tower blows, Randy's dead.
Well, we've got to stop him! Stay down! Hey, all right, we're saved! Okay, all right! All right! Yahoo! You okay, baby? Yeah.
Well, it's hardly the same place it was when I got here a few days ago.
Yeah, when the fire dies, so does the camp.
I'm kind of glad about Wilson, now that he's already down in Richland, 'cause he really hated to see the fire end.
Yeah.
You know, his doctors say that the same kind of thing can happen to police and soldiers.
You know, the excitement, the camaraderie that happens, even the danger.
It's Of course, someone like you, I don't know.
I mean, you know, it's got to be very hard to really understand what it's like to To be called a hero.
To have the power to save people's lives.
Sometimes it's got to get out of control, you know? Well, I I think I understand.
Well Goodbye, Randy.
Bye.
I'm glad to meet you.
Very nice to have met you, too.
Thank you for everything.
Okay.
Bye.
Bye-bye.