The pilot Aurora is looking over her plane. Max returns with some food and water from the Interceptor. The woman has removed her helmet, goggles and scarf. She is about thirty years old, skin like porcelain, piercing blue eyes and fiery red hair. A stunning Celtic beauty.
AURORA.
The plane's got a busted fuel line, must have taken a hit in the storm. I can fix it but it's gonna take a couple of hours. We must be soaking up a few rads, stay here much longer we'll glow in the dark.
MAX.
The radiation levels have dropped since the war, it would take a day or two to acumulate a lethal dose. Still best not to stick around, the rat who got away might come back with friends.
AURORA.
So Max any chance of a tow? I clocked a small valley about ten klicks north of here, it would be a safer place to fix the plane.
Max thinks it over and comes to a decision.
MAX.
OK. I'll go get my vehicle.
He walks back to the Interceptor as Aurora eats her meal.
FADE OUT.
EXT. WASTELAND - NUKED CITY - DAY.
Max is securing a tow rope to a hook on the planes undercarriage, the pilot is sitting in the cockpit.
MAX.
Ok we're good to go. it's gonna be slow going.
AURORA.
This thing doesn't steer too well on the ground, so try and avoid any sharp turns, also try not to stop suddenly, pull up gradually or you're gonna end up with a plane up your arse.
MAX.
Yeah, I've towed a few vehicles before, don't worry I know what I'm doing.
Max gets into the Interceptor, starts the engine and drives back out into the wasteland, the ancient plane in tow.
EXT. WASTELAND - DAY.
AERIAL POV.
The Interceptor with the biplane in tow is slowly approaching the small valley.
EXT. WASTELAND - VALLEY - DAY.
The Interceptor is parked up next to the plane. Aurora has the engine cowling open and is tinkering with the plane's motor. Max is scanning the wasteland for any movement, he sees nothing. He turns and scans the small valley with his binoculars.
BINOCULAR POV.
At the far end are four small structures, they are army quonset huts. They are in a state of advanced disrepair, the windows are all broken, doors hang off hinges, there are holes in the side of the buildings.
Max scans the huts and surrounds carefully, but there are no signs of life, apart from the old army huts the valley is empty. When he is satisfied there is no immediate danger he returns to the Interceptor.
AURORA.
So Max where are you from?
MAX.
Just came from a settlement, the Citadel. Know some people there.
AURORA.
Yeah I know it. I landed at a place called Gastown to refuel before I was caught in the storm.
MAX.
I was there for a while, repairing my vehicle. So where are you from?
AURORA.
You've heard of the Three Cities?
Max shakes his head.
AURORA.
They're settlements deep undergound, they were constructed in old coal mines as fallout shelters before the war. The city I come from is called Newhaven, It's north from here, about three hundred kays east of the Darklands.
MAX.
This is the furthest north I've ever travelled. What are the Darklands?
AURORA.
The Darklands are the most fucked up, irradiated Zones in the wasteland. The cities that were there took the most nukes in the war, most of them aren't even ruins, just endless plains of fused black glass, concrete and steel. Mutation is rife in the area, it's a toxic jungle. No one who has entered the Darklands has ever returned, war parties, scav gangs, no one ever came back.
MAX.
You're a long way from home.
AURORA.
The Two Cities have fallen, invaded by an army of mutant warriors called the Makatai Otoan, which translates as The Kroatoan. The Kroatoan armies number in the thousands, no settlements can withstand them. Your friends in the Citadel and Gastown are in the path of their advance, they've got maybe six months before the mutant armies reach them. I left a warning with their warlord, she seems like a smart cookie, with six months to prepare they might be able to resist.
Aurora pauses and wipes a drip of sweat from her brow with the back of her hand. She resumes tinkering with the plane's engine.
AURORA.
A second mutant army is advancing on The Third City, Arkadia, which is located north of the Darklands. My mission is to warn them of the Croatoan advance, we hope that with enough warning Arcadia can mount an adequate defence against the mutants.
MAX.
So you're going to fly to this Arkadia, you been there before?
AURORA.
No, no one from the Two Cities has ever been there. But we know it's there, the Newhaven Council of Elders had documents relating to Arkadia. It was the first underground City established before the war. According to the documents, they have a large military force, weapons and pre war technology, If they can defeat the mutant army they may be able to drive the invaders from Newhaven and free my city.
MAX.
So the only evidence you have for the existence of this place is some old pre war documents?
AURORA.
Yeah, but I've gotta try. My family are in Newhaven, I don't even know if they're still alive.
MAX.
Where the hell did you find this old relic?
AURORA.
It belonged to the mining company that sold the mines to the government. My father was a pilot for the mining company before the war, he repaired it and restored it. He taught me to fly when I was 12.
Max inspects the ancient plane.
AURORA.
We don't know if it's feasible, but I'm going to attempt to fly over the Darklands, it may be suicide to even overfly the most radioactive areas. But supposedly there is a safe route through, a scav crawled out of the Zone one day with a map, he didn't live long but apparently he crossed the Darklands in his vehicle. That's the route i'm going to follow, I may make it through.
MAX.
I don't like this place, something feels wrong. You better get on with the repairs.
AURORA.
Well maybe you should shut up and I will.
Max scans the valley, it is empty, nothing moves. He returns his attention to the wasteland, the only movement is a crow flying in the distance.
MAX.
I'm going to have a look around the valley, check out those huts. Keep an eye on the wasteland in case those raiders show up.
Max walks off, stopping at the Interceptor to retrieve Furiosa's sniper rifle, he sets out to survey the small valley.
INT. ARMY HUT - WASTELAND VALLEY - DAY.
Max enters one of the huts. He begins searching the rooms, the first room he goes into was an office, there is a desk and some ancient steel filing cabinets. Max opens one of the drawers in a filing cabinet, it opens with a shriek of rusted metal. They contain old documents, the paper yellowed with age. He examines some of the documents, they are mostly illegible.
There is a notice tacked to one wall, it is faded though the heading can still be read: Australian Army Medical Corps.10th Division. Emergency Protocols Relating to Suspected Release of Enemy Bacteriological Weapons.
Max continues exploring the rooms, there are piles of trash lying around, he sees in the dim light inside the hut what appear to be large piles of old rags.
Max enters another room. It is dimly lit as thin sheets of black plastic cover the broken windows. It was a dormitory, rows of army cots line the room, some of them containing piles of old rags. Max bends down and picks up an empty packet from a trash pile. The writing on the khaki coloured plastic packet reads: Australian Army Supply Corps. Meal, Ready to Eat. No.10 Beef Stew.
Max picks up a thin metal rod lying on the floor and pokes at one of the piles of rags. To Max's surprise the pile of old rags moves and a low moaning sound emanates from within. Realisation strikes Max and he turns and runs back to the entry foyer. Three figures are standing in the corridor outside the buildings exit.
CLOSE UP ON:
The three figures. They are dressed in filthy, decaying rags, remnants of hooded robes. Their faces and hands are covered in hideous lesions and ulcerating sores. In a croaking, cracked voice one of the figures speaks.
RADPOX VICTIM.
Hhhhellllpp usssss...
Max draws his shotgun.
MAX.
Back up. I don't want to shoot you but I will.
The Radpox victims back up, their arms outstretched imploringly toward Max.
RADPOX VICTIM.
Ppleease hhellppp ussss...
MAX.
There's nothing I can do for you, I'm sorry.
Covering the afflicted people with his shotgun, Max backs around them and rushes out of the hut.
EXT. WASTELAND VALLEY - DAY.
There are thirty or forty of the hideously afflicted Radpox sufferers limping and shambling toward the end of the valley where Aurora is fixing the plane.
MAX.
Shit.
He holsters his shotgun and unslings the sniper rifle. Dropping to one knee he sights through the scope. The pilot is engrossed in the repairs she is performing and is unaware of the shambling horde of the diseased behind her. Two of the infected are only metres away from Aurora, nearly close enough to touch her. Max sights on one and fires, the shot is on target. He lines up the other disease victim and pulls the trigger, the man goes down. Aurora wheels around at the sound of the shots and sees the approaching horde, she picks up her Winchester rifle and stands ready.
Max gets to his feet, slings the sniper rifle over his shoulder and sprints through the horde back to the plane, dodging around them as the victims reach out and try to grab him.
He reaches the plane. The Radpox victims are about thirty five metres away. Aurora aims at the shambling pack.
AURORA.
I haven't got enough ammo to hold them off for long.
MAX.
We've gotta get out of here.
AURORA.
I haven't finished the repairs, the plane won't be ready to fly for another hour.
MAX.
We haven't got time, grab whatever you got in the plane and load it into my vehicle.
AURORA.
Fuck that, I'm not leaving the plane. You got any more weapons in your car?
MAX.
I'm not going to kill them, they're sick people they only want help. We can come back for the plane later.
AURORA.
You just shot two of them. Believe me killing them is the only help you can give them, Radpox is fatal.
MAX.
I know, but I won't shoot sick people unless it's unavoidable, those two were close enough to touch you. Get your gear I'm leaving now.
Aurora acquiesces and starts to unload her belongings as Max stands guard. The moaning, shambling pack is getting closer. We see the uneasiness on Max's face, this is something the hardened wasteland survivalist was not prepared for and he is nervous. By the time Aurora has finished loading her possessions into the Interceptor the Radpox victims are only eight metres away.
They jump into the Interceptor and Max cranks the Ignition, the motor starts, revs a few times then stalls. He turns the key again and the motor turns over but does not start.
MAX.
Shit,shit,shit.
The shambling pack is getting closer.
Finally the engine starts. Max drops the clutch and floors the accelerator, the Interceptor speeds out of the valley into the wasteland.
EXT. WASTELAND - DAY.
The Interceptor is parked a safe distance from the valley. Max and Aurora are standing next to the vehicle.
MAX.
One of the local settlements must be using this place as a leper colony.
AURORA.
They didn't touch you did they? The Radpox is communicable by physical contact with the infected.
MAX.
No, luckily.
Aurora is watching the valley through the binoculars.
The Radpox victims are climbing all over the biplane, searching through the cockpit and passenger compartment.
AURORA.
Aww no, they're all over the plane damn it. It's contaminated, no point in going back for it now. My father's plane, it might have been all I have left of him.
Aurora lowers the binoculars and hands them to Max. She turns away.
CLOSE UP ON:
Aurora's face, her eyes are moist and red.
Max lowers the binoculars.
MAX.
I'm sorry, it was my fault. I was uneasy about the place, I should have checked it out first before unhooking the plane. I was complacent and off guard, which can get you dead pretty damn quick in the wasteland, stupid.
AURORA.
It's alright Max, I don't blame you. But I've got a bigger problem now, I need to get to a settlement called Freehold. It's about 90 kilometres north from here, I have to see a merchant I trade salvage to occasionally. I can hire a local driver to cross the Darklands, I'm sure one of them would be willing to risk the journey. The Arkadians will reward them well for getting the warning through.
MAX.
Yeah I can take you, I'm not going to leave you stranded in the wasteland without transport.
AURORA.
I can't offer much, but I can pay you in fuel when we get there.
MAX.
Let's get moving.
They get back into Max's vehicle and drive off.
INT. INTERCEPTOR - WASTELAND - DAY.
AURORA.
I was 10 when the war started and we entered the Newhaven shelter. Life in the shelters was harsh in the years following the war, they were poorly constructed, squalid, rat infested hellholes, hunger and disease were rampant. The lower levels were even worse, they often had no power, food or clean water. There was cannibalism, sometimes they would mount raids on the upper levels and take captives, Radpox epidemics were frequent. It got so bad the city Elders sealed off the lower levels permanently.
MAX.
So what makes you think the Third City will be any different?
AURORA.
Because according to the documents the Newhaven Elders had, it was the first shelter costructed in the old coal mines. It was built for government personnel and the rich, the so called elite. It was well stocked with food, water and medicines. They had soldiers, weapons and vehicles.
MAX.
Yeah that makes sense. Those bastards would make sure they had everything and leave the public shelters underprovisioned. But your city can't be so bad now or you would have left long ago.
Aurora looks out the window before replying.
AURORA.
The Two Cities are prosperous settlements now after the Dark Years. My father flew scouting missions, mapping areas where there was good salvage. The scav teams went out and brought the stuff back. The City grew and prospered, through hard work we built the underground settlement into a good place to live. We had hydroponic farm levels, livestock, good water.
MAX.
So you've got a map of the route through the Darklands, but how are you going to find the Third City if you've never been there?
AURORA.
My merchant contact in Freehold. He found out that there's a raider who has a map with the route to Arcadia from the Darklands, I'm going to trade for it.
The Interceptor continues on it's journey to the Freehold settlement.
The area of the wasteland they are travelling is no longer flat desert, the dunes are becoming more numerous and larger. Max slows the Interceptor and parks behind a large dune. He gets out and takes his binoculars to reconnoitre the area.
MAX.
Stay with the car, I'm going to scope out the route ahead. There's plenty of places raiders could lay an ambush.
EXT. WASTELAND - DAY.
Max is lying on the top of a dune scanning the wasteland with the binoculars.
BINOCULAR POV.
Some distance away there is an encampment, many vehicles and warriors.
CLOSE UP ON:
A warrior. Tall, muscular build, bald, dressed in a pair of old, patched camouflaged pants, bare torso, lumpy misshapen facial features due to bone tumors, his chest and arms are covered in intricate tribal tattoos. Max sees another warrior, this one is dressed in what appears to be a type of uniform, his face covered by a gas mask. Suddenly the view is obscured, a mutant warrior stands in front of Max, he drops the binoculars and tries to draw his shotgun but the warrior knocks Max unconscious with a club. The mutant warrior stoops down and snags the binoculars, he throws Max over his shoulder and carries him off.
EXT. WASTELAND - KROATOAN SCOUTING PARTY CAMP.
A warrior throws water over Max and he regains consciousness. He looks around, he is in the mutant camp. The warriors are all similar in appearance to the first warrior Max saw, muscular, bone tumors, tribal tattoos. The gas masked officer speaks to Max in a strange language, he shakes his head not understanding. The officer addresses the warriors standing in a circle surrounding them.
MAKATAI OTOAN OFFICER.
Doro no makora teo Rodukai - Oria Wa Guerresai Herma Katasan Karewa, Makatai Otoan dia haris teo shomeitu.
The circle parts and a large warrior, very tall and well muscled, the same bone tumours on his face and head, dressed in a loincloth, steps in to the ring. The warriors again close the circle, surrounding Max and the big warrior. The warrior begins to chant in his strange language. The other warriors also chant in unison. It is a pre battle ritual. The officer throws a wooden club at Max's feet.
OFFICER.
Teo Rodukai - Oria Wa ritai ehren M'tai Oria Wa kantaku teo Makatai Otoan.
He steps back and the big warrior says something to Max and indicates the weapon lying on the ground. Max realises he is supposed to fight the big mutant.
The big warrior assumes a fighting stance and aims a blow at Max's head, Max stumbles backwards avoiding the blow and snatches up the weapon at his feet just in time to block the warrior's next strike. The big warrior's attack is relentless, Max backs up dodging and parrying the blows as best he can. Max fades with a blow of the cudgel aimed at his head that rattles his teeth, he shakes his head to clear it. If he hadn't moved with the blow it would have shattered his jaw. Max dodges but the warrior lands another blow to Max's torso and Max is momentarily winded.
The big warrior is offbalanced as Max sidesteps a mighty swing and Max takes the opportunity to land a two handed blow upside the big warriors head which is knocked to the side under the force of the blow. The big man laughs, spits out a few bloody teeth and continues his attack. Max is definitely coming off second best as the warrior lands a blow on Max's arm which causes Max to drop the club, the injured arm now hangs uselessly by his side. The big warrior also drops his club and delivers a devastating series of punches to Max's torso.
Max stumbles away, The warrior grabs Max from behind and crushes him in a bear hug. The pressure slowly increases, and Max is close to passing out. Max feels around with his right foot and rakes the heel of his boot hard down the warriors bare shin, the warrior yelps and relents his grip, Max drops suddenly and slams his elbow backwards, hard into the warriors crotch. The big tribesman falls to his knees moaning softly and cupping his smashed testicles. Max retrieves his weapon from the ground and with a two handed swing he smashes the kneeling warrior a hard blow to the temple. The big man falls to the ground dead, blood streaming from his fractured skull. Max swings his weapon at the circle of warriors surrounding him. They are yelling and cheering, they brandish their weapons above their heads and yell.
TRIBAL WARRIORS.
RODUKAI ORIA WA...RODUKAI ORIA WA...RODUKAI ORIA WA...
MAX'S POV:
Max's vision is turning grey. The circle of warriors appears to double in number as Max's vision blurs and he shakes his head to clear it.
MAX.
Come on you bastards who's next?
He wheels around trying to see all the warriors surrounding him, but he falls to his knees then slumps to the ground unconscious.
Max regains consciousness briefly, he has been stripped to the waist and two warriors are holding him up by the arms. The officer retrieves a red hot steel brand from a fire and approaches Max, he speaks to the crowd of warriors.
MAKATAI OTOAN OFFICER.
Teo Rodukai - Oria Wa no tantauku Makatai Otoan. Toraikau Doro shensei Makangai Otoa, Kei Serai no Kantaku.
The two warriors holding Max grip him tightly as the Kroatoan officer shoves the red hot brand against Max's bare chest. Max screams in agony and we hear his flesh sizzling, the former MFP officer again loses consciousness.
FADE TO BLACK.
EXT. WASTELAND - DAY.
The Interceptor is speeding across the wasteland desert.
Max regains consciousness. He is sitting in the passenger seat, he looks over and sees Aurora is driving.
AURORA.
How are you feeling?
MAX.
Great... it feels like I've been run over by a train.
AURORA.
When you didn't come back I went looking for you, found you unconscious. You were out for nearly twenty four hours. What happened?
MAX.
I came across a party of the mutant warriors, had to fight one. I beat him and then his friends branded me.
AURORA.
Must have been a scouting party for the Kroatoan army, they were gone when I found you. I didn't realise they had got this far south.
He opens his shirt and looks down. A tribal skull design is seared onto his chest in a raised red wheal.
AURORA.
That must hurt like a bitch. What do the tattoos on your back mean? I saw them when I was cleaning your wounds.
MAX.
I was captured by a tribe four weeks ago, they tattooed me and used me as a blood donor for their warriors.
AURORA.
So. You defeated a Kroatoan warrior, you're a hard man Max.
MAX.
They sure are tough sons of bitches, I'll give em that. I'm coming with you to Arcadia.
AURORA.
If anyone stands a chance of getting safely through the Darklands, I guess you're about my best option. What prompted this decision if you don't mind my asking.
MAX.
I want to see this utopian settlement. If they can withstand the mutant army, there may be a chance for the Citadel. I don't think Furiosa's warriors will be able to withstand the invasion without military assistance.
AURORA.
Fair enough. Get some more rest, we should arrive at the Freehold settlement tonight.
.EXT. WASTELAND - FOOTHILLS - SUNSET.
The Interceptor is approaching a large settlement surrounded by a barricade wall. At the entrance gates vehicles and people on foot are entering the settlement. Lights on the barricade walls come on as the wasteland grows dark.
EXT. FREEHOLD SETTLEMENT - MAIN STREET - EVENING
Ramshackle buildings patched together from all sorts of scavenged materials line the busy streets. Raiders, drifters and wasteland tribespeople go about their business. A few vehicles are interspersed with the pedestrian traffic. The skyline of the wasteland town is dominated by a wind farm, the settlement's main source of power. The wind turbines are constructed using old aeroplane propellers, and other scavenged materials. A solitary oil pump undulates slowly up and down. The Interceptor drives slowly through the settlement.
They come to a fenced off yard, fires burning in 44 gallon drums provide some light, it is filled with individually customised, home built wastelander vehicles, a parking/camping area for those with business in the settlement. A bored guard is sitting at the gate cradling an ancient Lee - Enfield 303 bolt action rifle and taking an occasional belt from a moonshine bottle. Max pulls up at the entrance gate and the guard approaches the Interceptor.
GATE GUARD.
How long you staying?
MAX.
Not long, couple of hours.
GUARD.
OK, what've you got for me?
Max hands the guard a small packet of Ganja, grown at the Citadel. The guard takes it but Max doesn't let go.
MAX.
My vehicle is safe here?
GUARD.
Yeah, no one will fuck with your ride, it's safe.
MAX.
They'd better not it's booby trapped, blow themselves to bits if they try.
Max releases the pack and the guard takes it. He opens the pack and smells the dried buds. Satisfied he waves Max through the gate and returns to his seat. Max drives into the enclosure and parks in a vacant spot.
Groups of various wasteland tribespeople stand about their vehicles talking, laughing and drinking the local moonshine, their business in Freehold concluded for the night. Most will sleep in their vehicles before departing for their own settlements and tribes, wastelanders prefer to travel during daylight hours, night travel is too perilous in the outback desert.
Max and Aurora leave the parking enclosure. Max has a duffel bag slung across his right shoulder and a crossbow over the other shoulder. Aurora is carrying a backpack and has her Winchester rifle slung over her shoulder. Aurora leads the way through the busy streets.
They enter a traders establishment built from an old shipping container. An old trader is seated behind a makeshift counter. Seated by the entrance is a large, tattooed man with arms folded, a baseball bat studded with six inch nails within easy reach, and a large revolver in his belt. Aurora places the backpack on the counter.
TRADER.
Ah, Aurora my dear, nice to see you again. What treasures have you brought me?
AURORA.
Hello Grimaldi, they're in the bag. Do you have the information I need?
The old trader opens the backpack and looks over the contents, a number of slim tubes about 15 centimeters in length. He picks one up, it is a Cigar stored in a vacuum tube, still sealed. He opens the tube and takes out the cigar, he holds it up to his ear and rolls it between his fingers. When he is finished he looks up at Aurora.
GRIMALDI.
Beautiful, still fresh. You are a wonder my dear, you never let me down. Yes I have your information, the item you seek is in the possession of a gentleman who goes by the name of Yakuza Jack. He leads a gang of wasteland raiders that prey on trading convoys, when he is in town he has been known to frequent an establishment by the name of Stryker's Bar, you will find him there now. A fat man, bald and heavily tattooed, take care my child he is dangerous and will have his men with him. I would advise you not to confront him, I don't want to lose my most valued customer.
The trader is virtually drooling as he looks at the cigars lined up in front of him.
GRIMALDI.
What do you want for this bounty my dear?
AURORA.
OK. I'm gonna need provisions for two weeks, food, water, soap. A Rad Tarpaulin. Two gas masks, a Decontam Kit. Ammo for the Winchester if you got any left and 12 gauge shells. Grimaldi, this is Max, a friend.
MAX
I need fuel. 150 litres.
GRIMALDI.
What do you have to trade my friend?
Max puts the duffel bag on the counter and opens it. It contains rifles, handguns and ammunition, most of the weapons that Furiosa gave Max when he left the Citadel. The old trader inspects the weapons, he picks up various guns and inspects them, checking slide actions, inspecting the barrels for cleanliness, flipping open cylinders and sighting through them. The guns are all in good condition, well oiled, the wooden stocks and handgrips preserved with rosewood oil. He lays them out on the counter.
GRIMALDI.
These weapons are in excellent condition my friend, we have a deal.
Max watches the old man load the weapons back into the duffel bag and disappear with the bag behind a curtain screening off the rear section of the establishment. He speaks to someone in a language Max has never heard before. He comes back out.
GRIMALDI.
The fuel and supplies will be ready when you return.
Max and Aurora stroll through the settlement streets until they find the establishment they are looking for.
CLOSE UP ON:
A sign hanging in front of an establishment.
STRYKER'S BAR.
Max turns to Aurora.
MAX.
I want you to wait outside, you're my back up. If I get into trouble you come in shooting. If things do turn nasty how will the local authorities take it?
AURORA.
The Regulators don't usually intervene in disputes between wastelanders, as long as townspeople arent hurt, or settlement property destroyed.
Max enters and looks around the dimly lit bar. He spots the man he is looking for, sitting at a table drinking and laughing with four cronies. Max approaches the man.
YAKUZA JACK
What the fuck do you want?
MAX
I want to talk to you. You've got an item in your possession that I'm interested in, I'm looking to make a trade. It would be worth your while.
YAKUZA JACK.
You mean the map? Sorry pal I aint giving that up for any price, it's my ticket out of the wasteland.
MAX.
From what I understand the map is useless to you without a safe route through the Darklands, which obviously you don't have or you wouldn't still be here. Look I can offer you a good price.
YAKUZA JACK.
I don't think so drifter, there is a way through the Darklands and I'll find it, this map is worth way more than you can afford. Take a walk pal you're starting to annoy me.
MAX.
Last chance to keep this friendly "pal", I need that map and I'm not leaving here without it. I'll take it by force if I have to.
YAKUZA JACK.
All on your own? there's five of us and one of you. We gonna fuck you up now boy.
The man and his henchmen stand up and remove weapons, machetes, chains, iron bars, one man is removing a revolver from a holster.
Max explodes into action, pivoting on his left leg he narrowly avoids a two handed machete blow that would have cleaved his skull in two, the machete buries itself into the wooden floorboards with the force of the blow and the raider is offbalanced.
Max ducks the swing of a chain and delivers a solid kick to the face of the raider struggling to free his machete, there is the sickening crunch of fractured bones and the man hits the floor, his face bleeding profusely. Drawing his double barreled sawn off shotgun, Max shoots the chain wielding raider in the face and turns as the man with the pistol aims at him and fires, the shot grazes Max's upper arm and he lets the man have the other barrel in the stomach.
Dropping the empty shotgun he unslings his crossbow, already cocked and loaded, he shoots at the other armed thug who is coming for him with an iron bar, the man goes down pawing at the crossbow bolt protruding from his throat.
Yakuza Jack, who has barely moved in the few seconds it took Max to take out his henchmen, now runs for the door and out into the street. Max retrieves his shotgun and turns toward the entrance.
Yakuza Jack re- enters the bar hands raised, walking backwards, as Aurora, her rifle aimed at his face, marches him back into Stryker's establishment. Max grabs the fat raider and starts frisking him. From a pocket in the man's jacket he takes out a folded map in a clear plastic envelope.
MAX.
You should have traded "pal", I warned you. Now you gonna give me any more trouble?
Yakuza Jack just shakes his head, he is visibly shaken. Max wheels the man around and shoves him out the door. The raider trips over and lands in the street, he picks himself up and runs off into the night.
Max walks over to the bar. The owner is stunned by the speed at which Max took out the raiders.
MAX
Sorry about the mess. This cover the damages?
He reaches inside his leather jacket and takes out four of the dried packages of compressed Citadel Ganja that Furiosa had given him as trade goods and hands them to the owner, who examines them and then pockets the small packages. He nods at Max.
The owner with the help of another man starts dragging the dead men toward a door at the rear of the establishment. Max walks over to the bar.
BARMAN
What'll it be?
MAX
Give me a shot of the local moonshine.
The bartender fills a shot glass from a bottle and places the glass on the bar in front of Max, he picks up the glass and downs it in one shot. Aurora walks over to the bar and speaks to the bartender.
AURORA.
I'll have one of those too.
The bartender pours her a drink and she also downs it in one gulp.
Two men in ragged, makeshift uniforms enter the bar. They are Regulators, the settlement law enforcement. They look over the scene and look Max and Aurora up and down. One of them addresses the barman.
REGULATOR.
We got a problem here Colby?
COLBY.
Nah Pete, it's all good. The drifter paid Stryker compensation, he don't wanta press charges.
REGULATOR PETE. (To Max).
Finish up your business drifter, you've got until dawn to leave town. You're still here in the morning I'll lock up both of you.
The two "policemen" walk out of the bar.
AURORA.
I gotta say Max, that was pretty impressive. Four guys down in less than a minute, you got some mean fighting skills there my friend.
MAX.
Let's go get the fuel.
They leave Stryker's Bar.
EXT. FREEHOLD - GRIMALDI'S ESTABLISHMENT - NIGHT.
Max has retrieved the Interceptor. It is parked behind Grimaldi's place. The trader's man is carrying out jerry cans of fuel and stacking them next to the vehicle.
CLOSE UP ON:
The rear underside of the Interceptor. Bundles of dynamite are attached to the chassis. There is a plate with an electrical circuit and a switch affixed to it. Max reaches in and flicks the switch to the off position, the booby trap is disabled. Aurora emerges bearing two more jerry cans.
AURORA.
That's the lot.
MAX.
One thing, never touch the fuel tanks. They're booby trapped and you'll blow yourself sky high.
He begins refuelling. Aurora takes out both the maps and studies them.
AURORA.
From here to the Regulator outpost is nearly 100 kays. As best I can figure the route through the Darklands is about 250 - 300 kays, from there to the Third City is about another 200, allowing for unforseen developments say another 150 to be cautious. We're looking at a trip of about 750 kilometres.
MAX.
With the main tank and the three auxilliary tanks I've got a maximum range of 800 kilometres. I've burned through two thirds of the fuel I left Gastown with so that gives us a little extra juice in the remaining jerry cans, maybe another 100 kilometres. Considering you don't know how accurate these maps are, that's a pretty slim margin.
AURORA.
Yeah I know, it's a pity this stuff wasn't on my father's old mining survey maps, they're dead accurate.
MAX.
I want to get on the road as soon as I've refueled. That fat raider might have more friends around.
Max continues filling the tanks.