(27)

INT. ROSE'S HOUSE -- DAY

Emilia lies in bed and groans in pain, her head bandaged and her face bruised. Sitting on the bed, Anna watches Emilia and caresses her mother's hair. Rose comes into the room and puts her hand on Anna's shoulder.

ROSE

Dragon Brother has made rescue plans.  Don't worry. He's gonna help us.

INT. WARD -- JAIL -- NIGHT

Hans puts a damp towel on Mark's forehead to cool him. Then Hans helps Mark drink water from a bowl.

HANS

You have high fevers. Please drink some water, otherwise, you'll dehydrate. 

Some prisoners pick lice from their bodies. Others try to catch scampering rats.

Feeling his pulse on his wrist, Dr. Behr examines Mark, who looks sickly pale.

DR. BEHR

I'm afraid you have been infected with typhus. Since this place has been infested with lice and rats, and the food and water are filthy, the disease has spread.

INT. CORRIDOR -- JAIL -- DAY

Japanese wardens pass by each cell, scooping up watery food from a big pail to distribute to Hans and other prisoners.

INT. WARD -- JAIL -- DAY

Hans tries to feed Mark, who shakes his head and refuses.

MARK

(weakly)

I'm now dying of typhus. Promise me, please, promise me to take good care of Anna and Emilia. They're more precious than my life.

HANS

Mr. Rosenfeld, you'll be fine. I won't let you die, I won't.

MARK

If you'll be out alive, find them. Make sure they move to the ghetto. And, and tell them I'm sorry.

INT. STAGE -- THEATER -- NIGHT

A performance of the Peking Opera is in progress. LI TAN, the leading actor, presents on the stage, charming and fantastic in female cosmetics, costumes and head decorations.

The AUDIENCE cheers at the sight of Li who plays the role of Princess Yang of Tang Dynasty, beautiful and tipsy, forsaken by the Emperor.

NAGASHIMA, a Japanese officer with almond eyes and pink cheeks, watches Li's performance with lust.

INT. PRIVATE ROOM -- BACK STAGE -- THEATER -- NIGHT

Dragon Brother gives Li a pistol and a package of explosives, patting him on the shoulder.

DRAGON BROTHER

Hundreds of lives are at stake here. Don't fail.

LI TAN

I'll fulfill the task, alive or dead.

Dragon Brother leaves. Li takes off his make-up and rests his eyes. Nagashima enters with a bouquet of flowers. Nagashima holds Li's hand and kisses his mouth. Li is numb.  Their behavior reveals their GAY relationship. Nagashima motions to Li to go out with him. Li follows.

EXT. BACK STAGE DOOR -- THEATER -- NIGHT

A Japanese army vehicle is parked outside. Nagashima accompanies Li into the vehicle, followed by BODYGUARDS. The JAPANESE CHAUFFEUR drives away in the darkness.

EXT. HEADQUARTERS -- JAIL -- NIGHT

The chauffeur drives up the driveway of a spacious ground and pulls over in front of the Japanese jail headquarters. Nagashima and Li get out of the vehicle and enter the headquarters, followed by a squad of Japanese soldiers armed with rifles fixed with bayonets.

Across the ground, a machine gun post is set up, aiming at the PRISONERS in the jail.

INT. HEADQUARTERS -- JAIL -- NIGHT

Nagashima drinks with Li and pay no attention to his executive duties. Suddenly, a JAPANESE SOLDIER rushes in.

SOLDIER 1

Hi, report to Officer. The jail has been attacked by the Chinese. We're surrounded.

Another JAPANESE SOLDIER rushes in.

SOLDIER 2

Hi, report to the Officer. The Chinese have occupied the machine gun post.

Nagashima becomes furious and blames the soldiers for his own negligence.

NAGASHIMA

(frantically)

Bagayalo, damned. What the hell are you doing? You shall die, you shall die, damned fool, shila, shila.

Nagashima jumps up and jerks away a wine bottle crashing on the wall. He grabs his gun from its holster and prepares for immediate action.

Li pulls open his coat, rips off the package of EXPLOSIVES bound to his waistband and IGNITES them. At the instant moment, Li leaps forward and flies out through a window as light as a swallow, with facility of well-trained Chinese KUNGFU.

The headquarters of the jail explodes in a massive FIRE BALL. Nagashima and his squad of soldiers burn dead in the fire.  Li's shadowy image floats over the roof and flips down the walls, silhouetted against the flare from the blazing headquarters, rapidly disappearing in the darkness.

INT. MACHINE GUN POST -- NIGHT

Dragon Brother directs a squad of anti-Japanese activists to attack and kill the Japanese soldiers standing guard. The anti-Japanese activists, skillful in Chinese Kungfu, continue a dauntless combat, as more Japanese soldiers rush up to resist.

A devastating scuffle ensues, the Chinese martial artists versus the Japanese samurais. The activists finally defeat the Japanese soldiers and occupy the machine gun post.

INT. CORRIDORS -- JAIL -- NIGHT

Jiemin leads a group of anti-Japanese activists rushing down the corridors. They unlock the iron-bared wards to free hundreds of Chinese and Jewish PRISONERS. Prisoners help each other as they race out of their ward. Hans, carrying Mark on his back, runs as fast as possible.

EXT. JAIL -- NIGHT

Hans, Mark and Dr. Behr are among the prisoners transported from the jail in trucks. They inhale the smoke from the fire, choke and gasp for breath, their faces smudged with black soot.

(continuing)