Mohammed & Mary--1

MOHAMMED & MARY ACT I

SCENE 1 (A cave. A couple of low lying cots against the wall. On one side, a pulley for holding a captive. MARY, 28, has a sack over her head and is suspended by her wrists from a rope on the ceiling, feet on the floor, head dropped. Shes in army fatigues, tank top, bootless.) (Creaking of a heavy door. MOHAMMED, 35, enters, takes a long look. ZAYNAAB, 49, sits in a chair off to the side, knitting.) MOHAMMED (to Zaynaab) latkayaa kisne? (who hung her up like that?) ZAYNAAB Meri kaun suntaa hai. (No one listens to what I say.) (Mohammed removes the sack from her head. Mary groans. We see that she is blindfolded. Mohammed releases the rope on the pulley. Mary collapses on the ground, hands stretched out above her head. Her body spasms, she coughs a fit. Zaynaab gets up to help but Mohammed signals her to remain seated. He watches as Marys coughing subsides.) (He tries to make her drink water. Mary struggles at first but relents. She drinks hungrily, water spilling.) MARY (breathing hard) More. Please, more. (Mohammed refills the tumbler. Marys seated now, leg folded under her, and accepts it as its held to her mouth. She drinks the water down. Holds it out for Mohammed to accept the tumbler back. He doesnt. The tumbler shakes in her hands, tumbles onto the floor.) MARY Is anyone there? Can you hear me? My name is Mary. Mary Dixon. Im a journalist. I work for the Times. A newspaper. Not army. (Mohammeds still as a statue. Mary resumes, this time in Urdu, her voice faltering as her fear mounts.) Mera naam Mary Dixon hai. Mein reporter houn. Fauji nahin. Yeh galti hai. Angrezi? Do you speak English? Angrezi? Can I get a translator? (Mary moves her hands to pry the blindfold off. Mohammed smacks her arm down.)

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MARY (contd) As a journalist, I am provided with Civilian Immunity by the Geneva Convention. Convention IV, Protocol I, Protocol II. Do you speak English? Angrezi? Translator? MOHAMMED Convention IV, Protocol I. Civilian Immunity. MARY Yes! Yes. Prohibits the taking of hostages. MOHAMMED Protocol I, Article 48: Combatants must distinguish between civilian and military objects and attack only military targets. MARY Oh godyou speak my language. Please help me! MOHAMMED Protocol I, Article 57: Area bombardments against civilian targets are forbidden. MARY Yes. Yes. Im a civilian, a journalist. Theres been a mistake. Help me, please. MOHAMMED Protocol I, Article 51, Section 4: Indiscriminate attacks on civilian targets are prohibited. (SILENCE. Mohammeds tone gives Mary pause.) MARY Who are you? What do you want? (Mohammed removes her blindfold) MOHAMMED Im a Jihadi of the Sahaar Revolutionary Guard. MARY Im a journalist. Neutral. My name is Mary MOHAMMED I heard you the first time. (Marys eyes adjust to her surroundings.) MARY

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Where am I? Why am I here? MOHAMMED Youre a prisoner of war. MARY Im not a soldier. Im a civilian. This is a mistake. MOHAMMED You were captured in the battle at Najafpur. Your weapons and equipment have been confiscated. If you want to survive, you must give absolute, unconditional cooperation. MARY Please, you must believe me. I was at the battle as a reporter. Please contact the bureau chief in (Mohammed forces the sack over her head, yanks her to her feet as she tries to protest.) MARY (muffled) Wait! Wait! (Mohammed cranks the lever again, and her tied arms are raised above her shoulders as shes forced to reassume the position she was in before. Mary goes silent. After a long moment, Mohammed cranks the lever so that Marys arms are lowered to a more comfortable position.) MOHAMMED (to Zaynaab) Safiya put her up like this? ZAYNAAB No one listens to what I say. FADE TO BLACK

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SCENE 2 (Its a shabby courtyard in the sunshine, outside the grotto. There are three soldiers dressed in shalwar Kameez, pakol hats, and a hint of fatigues. Theyre lounging about, sitting on wicker stools. YUSUF, late 39, is on crutches, ABDULLAH, 30, is missing an arm, QASIM, 28, aka AMRIKA is a titan, wearing shades because hes blind. There is a female soldier named SAFIYA, 34, dressed in fatigues. Mohammed is in the middle of an argument with the group. The men other than Mohammed frequently smoke from hookahs.) SAFIYA Whats wrong with that? Shes an enemy combatant. MOHAMMED Shes says shes an embedded journalist. YUSUF That makes her an enemy reporter. Take it from me, these Westerners are born liars. Shes a spy, hundred percent spy. (The young female soldier is sassy, plays it up for her comrades.) SAFIYA Shes one of thosewhat do they call herIn-bed journalist. In-bed their armored cars daytime, in-bed their bunks nighttime. (The entire company guffaws, except for Mohammed.) YUSUF (spitting) That in-bed whores probably getting what she deserves. SAFIYA She can do in-bed reports for you guys, huh? Polish your guns?! Spit and shine? (Everyone guffaws, except for Mohammed.) MOHAMMED But why are we doing this? YUSUF Doing what? MOHAMMED Why torture her?

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YUSUF Torture? We havent laid a hand on her. Torture is what they did to Qasim, to Abdullah. Were doing what we can since you decided to bring back a live one. Why? MOHAMMED Why what? YUSUF Why did you take her prisoner? SAFIYA He wants to roll her down to the groundin-bed her on the floor! YUSUF Youre supposed to kill the enemy. This is Jihad, not a kissing game. MOHAMMED Dont talk to me about the Jihad. I carried out my orderstwo IUDs, two Humvees knocked out. SAFIYA You should have knocked out your beauty queen also. MOHAMMED I made a decision, and I dont have to answer to you. All Im asking is whose order is it to tie her up like that? SAFIYA Oye!Mr. Mohammed Rehmann is asking again. Thinks he can order us around with all his asking. If you want to be an asker, ask properly. MOHAMMED What? SAFIYA Ask whose drone bombed Abdullahs entire family during his daughters wedding? Ask who shot Yusufs pregnant wife when he was driving towards a check point in broad daylight to get to the hospital? Ask why Qasim is blind because he couldnt answer the questions he was asked? (SILENCE. The mirth disappears as they contemplate their individual tragedies.) YUSUF When Mullah Salims not here, I give the orders, then they do (points to the soldiers), then she does. And then you will, when your time comes. (Mohammed picks up the communications broadcaster. We hear static.)

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MOHAMMED (to Yusuf) And who gave you the order to tie her up like that? YUSUF Fear Allah, soldier, and follow his orders. MOHAMMED And avoid what Allah has forbidden. FADE TO BLACK

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SCENE 3 (Cave. Zaynaab, seated in her chair and knitting as usual, while Safiya struggles as she removes the sack over Marys head and unshackles her. Marys limp as a rag doll.) SAFIYA What is this one, a princess? (Safiya slaps Marys cheeks to revive her. Mary groans.) Auntie Zaynaab, help me! Auntie! (Zaynaab ignores her. Safiya unties her, take off the blindfold.) Clean the prisoner. Dress her. Feed her. Get her ready. Why the royal treatment? I cant believe Mullah Salim said ok to Mohammed. First he brings this firang to our camp for no reason, then hes up in arms about how were not treating her like she was the prophets wife or something. Hes become too Western for his own good. Even as a boy he was in love with the West. Always playing those little video games by himself. ZAYNAAB Todays her birthday. SAFIYA Whose? ZAYNAAB Zeenats happy birthday. She must wear new clothes. SAFIYA Auntie, this isnt Zeenat and its not her (Zaynaab get active, helps Safiya Lay Mary on the on the floor.) Never mind. (They take off her fatigues and Zaynaab massages her limbs. Mary groans.) SAFIYA Shes so white. ZAYNAAB Pure like the day she was born.

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SAFIYA Nonsense! Western girls lose their purity long before they reach puberty. ZAYNAAB Ill make some rice pudding for her. With almonds, raisins and pistachios. Thats her favorite desert. SAFIYA Do that, auntie. Make enough for all of us while youre at it. ZAYNAAB Of course I will. SAFIYA And mutton biryani and kababs. ZAYNAAB Kababs for everyone. SAFIYA And after the feast well go to the bazaar and watch a Bollywood film. ZAYNAAB A comedy or love story. Nothing violent. (There is banging on the door. No sooner does Safiya open it than Mohammed thrusts in a bundle at her.) MOHAMMED You forgot this. Make sure she is fed. SAFIYA Oh, dont worry, auntie Zaynaabs planning an entire village feast around this whore. MOHAMMED I want her ready as soon a possible. SAFIYA (lascivious) Shes ready for you right now. MOHAMMED Ready for interrogation. Mullah Salims on his way. (Mohammed exits, the door shuts behind him. Safiya undoes the bundleit is a burkha. They put the burkha dress on Mary, then stand her upshes wobbly on her legs. The veil falls across her face and she looks just like any other muslim woman. They march her to

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the cot against the wall, lay her down. Mary groans. Zaynaab sits on the cot as Safiya retrieves interlinked chains to put as restraints on Mary but Zaynaab stops her.) ZAYNAAB No. SAFIYA We cant take any chances. Shes a prisoner. ZAYNAAB (snapping tone) Shes our guest. And shes feverish. SAFIYA Okay, okay. Relax. (fierce whisper) That Mohammed thinks he owns the mountain. Good for nothing foreign-return, runs off to the West while were stuck rotting here, then comes back and thinks hes better than all of us. Used to be a shy boy, always looking up to my elder brother Osman, following him everywhere. But now hes just an arrogant Johnny boy. (Zaynaab lifts Mary head and helps her drink water. As shes about to put the tumbler down, Mary grabs her arm.) MARY (mumbling, delirious) Im so sorry. Mommy, dont leave me. I love you. Dont leaveplease dont leave me alone (Zaynaab strokes Marys head.) ZAYNAAB Shhshhmy child (Zaynaab covers Mary with the coarse blanket. Mary continues to mumble.) SAFIYA Hey auntie, whats your birthday baby mumbling about? ZAYNAAB War. FADE TO BLACK

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SCENE 4 (MULLAH SALIM. 42, also dressed in Shalwar Kameez and pakol hat, with bullet belts slung on the shoulders, addresses the men who sit in a semi circle. In front of them is a makeshift 3-D map model of the battle zone, rendered with various armaments, such as bullet boxes, grenades, pistols, etc. Mohammed scans through several map printouts, rearranging the 3-D map-model several times.) MOHAMMED If operating base Eagle is over here, then the Haqqani camp must be somewhere here. MULLAH SALIM Stop! You see, my brothers, this (he gestures at the 3-D map model) is lies. Western lies. (points at Mohammeds maps.) Not the truth, only what the enemy wants us to believe. MOHAMMED These are the printouts you sent. MULLAH SALIM The ones I sent to test your judgment, brother Mohammed. (Mullah Salim signals Abdullah, who produces an old fashioned briefcase. Mullah Salim takes out a sheaf of maps, chucks them on the 3-D map model. Dismissively gestures for Mohammed to study them. Mohammed picks up the largest, studies it.) There has to be a mistake. This one has the garrison stationed behind the Waga Pass. MULLAH SALIM There is no mistake. The satellite maps you hold are lying. MOHAMMED Whats more accurate than satellite mapping? MULLAH SALIM Western satellite mapping. Has it not occurred to you that your precious satellite images can be doctored? MOHAMMED Theyre not my satellite images. MULLAH SALIM Let this be a lesson to all. Now, brother Mohammed, tell us what the real map shows?

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(Mohammed studies the map briefly, rotates it 90 degrees, then rearranges the 3-D map model) MOHAMMED So that puts the Western garrison not here, but here. FOB Vulcan over there. And Sirdar Haqqani and his militia over here, near the foothills. MULLAH SALIM A hidden extension into an abandoned mine that theyve restructured. MOHAMMED Theyre very close to us. MULLAH SALIM Close on the map. Theyre down in the foothills, were up in the mountains. In a ravine invisible. Six hours on foot. MOHAMMED Were safe? MULLAH SALIM Safe was beheaded last century, buried in an umarked grave. Sirdar Haqqanis men have been coming to Khufa village the last 3 nights. Asking about us. If Haqqani gets a fix on our location, well have to abandon and move again. MOHAMMED You certain that Haqqanill attack us? MULLAH SALIM Profit is that shaitans only Jihad. Attack us or not, any intel Haqqani gets, gets sold to the Westerners. Once they know the location, theyll be here within twenty four hours. Forty eight hours, tops. Drones, sorties, or both. Efficient, ruthless. MOHAMMED What happened to unity? MULLAH SALIM Monopoly and profits happened to unity. They all want the same thingMullah Sharif, Shafquat Baitullah, Daoud Ibrahim. Thats what the infighting is for. MOHAMMED The Westerners must be laughing. MULLAH SALIM War is the mother of all necessities, and killingthe apple of her eye.

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MOHAMMED We know where they arewe could leak Haqqanis position. MULLAH ISLAM And become like him? Then Jihad becomes an empty word. MOHAMMED What about our alliance with Mullah Sharif? MULLAH SALIM Mullah Sharifs become paranoid. Blood thirsty, like Haqqani. MOHAMMED Everyones everyones enemy. Its just carnage, not jihad. MULLAH SALIM Jihad is keeping our women and children safe. MOHAMMED By killing the women and children of others? MULLAH SALIM Is this your way of saying sorry for not killing the Western woman? MOHAMMED Shes a woman. She says shes a journalist. A civilian. MULLAH SALIM (Angry, slams his palm on the table) Shes a soldier until she proves otherwise. And we are not in the business of kidnapping! MOHAMMED I was trying toto save her. MULLAH SALIM (angry) Save her for what? She is the enemy! Youve endangered all of us, you bloody idiot! Now those drones will be circling night and day, looking for her. For us. Why?! MOHAMMED I dont know why. MULLAH SALIM Are you a liability, brother Mohammed? MOHAMMED No.

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MULLAH SALIM Kill the enemy. No prisoners, no mercy. Are you lacking faith? If you have any doubts (he snaps his fingers twice, and Yusuf and Abdullah point their Kalashnikovs at Mohammed) Tell us now. (PAUSE. Mohammeds surveys all his comrades in the silence.) MOHAMMED Let Allah be the judge of my faith. (Mullah Salim does a 180 in attitude, slaps Mohammeds back in camaraderie.) MULLAH SALIM Hahaha! Dont worry, brother Mohammed, this woman is going to be treated like a guest till we find a use for your mistake. (Yusuf and Abdullah lower their Kalashnikovs, relax). When your dad Haji Umar convinced me to go West for university, he told me, Salim, you are like a son to me. Go with my blessings, with an open spirit for learning. But never forget who you are, where you come from. MOHAMMED He said stuff like that when he sent me too. MULLAH SALIM By then I was already back. I learned and returned, unlike you who learned and loved and settled. MOHAMMED Im here. (The sun is setting fast, and Mullah Salim leads the men as they get ready for prayer. The men cleanse themselves for prayer ritually, by washing their face twice, their forearms from the elbow to the hands, their feet, their hair.) MULLAH SALIM Haji Umar sent you West to study what? MOHAMMED Engineering.

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MULLAH SALIM (Shakes his head.) No. MOHAMMED (Irritable) What? MULLAH SALIM The West. Study the enemy. Be prepared. Because your father knew this day was coming Western machines, computers will devour the soul of man. Truth will become a computer program. And he was right. Theyre rebuilding the truth of our lives with their computers, map by digital map. And what hope is there when educated brothers like you, Mohammed, take their fabricated lies as your truth? MOHAMMED I came back for the jihad. MULLAH SALIM Are you sure? Or did you run away? You still love her--your American wife? Catherine? MOHAMMED Ex. Ex-wife. It was a mistake. MULLAH SALIM Not coming back was a mistake. Your mother. Your sister. MOHAMMED I asked them to leave, to come stay with me when the aerial bombing began. I warned them about collateral damage. MULLAH SALIM Homes bombed, women and children killedthere is no collateral damage. Only murder. When civilians are murdered, its soul damage. Your mother and sister became martyrs for our cause. May Allah bless their souls. (They pray.) FADE TO BLACK

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SCENE 5 (Mary is seated on the floor against the wall. Safiya is watching over her as Mary considers a glass of pomegranate juice to drink, tea biscuits to eat. Zaynaab is on the cot absorbed in her knitting. After a few sips, Mary puts the glass down). MARY I cant. I feel sick. SAFIYA You must. MARY I cant. SAFIYA (to Zaynaab) Whyre we wasting pomegranate on this Kaafir? (to Mary) Youve tainted it. You have to finish it. We dont allow waste in our country. MARY My stomach. ZAYNAAB Isfandiyar drank pomegranate juice as a prince and was able to challenge the great and mighty emperor Rustam. SAFIYA Eat the biscuits. ZAYNAAB But then Rustam cheated. He got help from the flying dragon and killed Isfandiyar. SAFIYA Eat! You need your strength for Mullah Salim. MARY Whos Mullah Salim? SAFIYA Mullah Salim is going to decide your fate. If youre worth even a single seed of pomegranate or (she slices across her throat with her hand.)

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ZAYNAAB But killing Isfanidyar also doomed Rustam. SAFIYA A snap of his fingers, and youll find yourself in hell, you whore. MARY My name is Mary. SAFIYA Mary-Shary, hairy-fairy nobody cares. MARY Whats your name? SAFIYA My name? You think this is a party? Ill give you one slap! ZAYNAAB Be careful, my daughters. Never tell them your name. SAFIYA Im not her daughter. ZAYNAAB My eldest. Rough & tough, and afraid. SAFIYA Auntiehush. Rough and tough to survive. You want to survive? (Mary doesnt respond. Safiya slaps her.) Drink. (Mary drinks up her glass of juice). ZAYNAAB Doesnt she remind you of Shabnam? SAFIYA Is your knitting making you blind?! Shabnam was pretty, innocent. This one looks like a truckstop whore. (to Mary) Why did you even come here? MARY Your men kidnapped me.

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SAFIYA Mohammed should have killed you. We dont take prisoners. MARY I came here, to your country, because I want to report the truth. SAFIYA The truth of what? MARY The truth of whats going on in this war. The truth of your condition. I want to report both sides. SAFIYA Both sides?! Truth isnt a coin, you imbecile. Truth has a thousand faces like a diamond. Truth cuts so hard it makes you bleed. Your people wouldnt understand the truth even if it cut them into bloody ribbons. MARY Youre so angry. SAFIYA Mind your own business. MARY Im a journalist. I know you have a story to tell. SAFIYA What do you think this isnursery school? There are no stories. Only lives that are too complicated for a Western spy like you to understand. MARY I am not a spy! I work for the Times. I can write about your life, share your story with the world. SAFIYA Hahaha! There is nothing to share. All stories get washed away in blood and are best forgotten. MARY You have to let the world know about you. Everything is extraordinary. Even the simplest of things, like serving pomegranate juice and sugar biscuits to your prisoner. Or giving me a cot to sleep in and one of your hijabs to warm me.

SAFIYA Its not to warm you, you idiot. Its because we dont allow our women to roam around naked like you do in the West.

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MARY Im not roaming anywhere. Cant you take me out for a walk? I havent seen the sun in days. SAFIYA Mullah Salim will decide. MARY It gets cold at night. We must be high up in the mountains. SAFIYA Your spy training must have been first class. Congratulations. MARY The terrain here is so starkjust rocks and desert and mountains. Dont you miss home? SAFIYA This is our home, you stupid bitch. MARY Youre angry. Talking helps. Let me interview you. SAFIYA So you can write it in your spy journal? MARY Are you angry because youre afraid? SAFIYA Isnt it amazing, auntie? Shes asking me if Im the one whos afraid. Ha! If only you knew the truth of whats going to happen to youyoud be living every second in fear. But youre worrying about us. So kind. But dont. We have nothing to fear. Were living in jihad. FADE TO BLACK

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SCENE 6 (The three handicapped soldiersYusuf, Qasim, and Abdullah are playing Pachisi (a board game), sharing a hookah. Abdullah rolls the dice.) ABDULLAH Seven! How about that! Sorry, Amrika, your piece goes back to start. (Abdullah moves a piece. Qasims large hand settle across Abdullahs throat.) QASIM You cheating son of a bitch! ABDULLAH Its seven, I swear itbrother Yusuf, get some sense into Amrikas before he tears my head off! YUSUF Its seven, you blind oaf. (Qasim lets go. Yusuf rolls the dice, moves his pieces, holds out the dice, rattling them for the blind Qasim to take them off him. Qasim rolls.) ABDULLAH A nine. You want to move? Move my 2 piece. (Abdullah moves the piece nine places forward.) Move yours back to start. ABDULLAH Too much, Amrika! Total Pachisi genius, boss! Blind as a bat but you can keep track like a maneating tiger. QASIM Keep track of cheaters. ABDULLAH Boss, I was just having fun. Relax. Anyway, we need a fourth. Play teams. YUSUF Theres no fourth. Its your turn. ABDULLAH
nd

QASIM

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We can ask Mohammed. YUSUF Hes interrogating the Western woman. ABDULLAH (slaps his thigh) Too quiet for an interrogation. Let me have a go. Ill have her screaming out all her answers(fakes orgasm) yes Abdullah, yes Abdullah, no Abdullah, no, no Abdullah! (The men guffaw) QASIM Shes pretty? ABDULLAH I told you a hundred times, Amrikaif you could see her, youd die a happy man. QASIM Pretty like Safiya? ABDULLAH Pretty like Safiya, Safiyas mom, Safiyas grandma all rolled into one! QASIM (gesturing with his hands) Id like to see her. YUSUF Relax, Amrika. Only that foreign-return Mohammed gets to see her. QASIM Whats wrong with us? YUSUF We dont speak her tongue. ABDULLAH Amrika just wants to see her with his tongue, isnt that right, you Mount Ararat of stupidity? (Abdullah makes lewd tongue gestures until Qasim tries to grab him by the throat again. Abdullah rolls the dice. Moves his piece. Safiya emerges from the cave.) SafiyaAmrika was just talking about you. SAFIYA Oh, yeah? Saying what?

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ABDULLAH If I tell you, itll set tongues wagging. (The men laugh.) SAFIYA Laugh all you want, sitting here in the sun all day while Im stuck with Mohammed and Mary in there. ABDULLAH Mohammeds got his Mary, he doesnt need you. But Amrika here is pining away for your love. QASIM Shut up. SAFIYA Yeah, shut up, Abdullah. ABDULLAH Wheres your respect, girl? SAFIYA It got lopped off with your arm. QASIM (laughs) She got you good, brother Abdullah. YUSUF Thats what happens when a woman puts on a pant. ABDULLAH No one will marry you now, Safiya. Except for Amrika here, only because he cant see your pants. Can you see her pants, Amrika? QASIM No. ABDULLAH There you gothe gorilla sees you without your pants! SAFIYA If you werent a cripple, Id teach you lesson. ABDULLAH And Id show you a man if you werent one already.

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YUSUF Whats going on in there? SAFIYA Nothing. Not an interrogation. For every question Johnny boy asks, she asks twenty back. He cant shut her up. Mullah Salim should have let me interrogate that bitch. YUSUF Are you questioning Mullah Salims judgment? SAFIYA Of course not! Im just asking why that Johnnys in charge of the interrogation? YUSUF Hes following Mullah Salims orders. So should you, woman. (pause as Safiya bristles at Yusufs rundown) ABDULLAH I order you to play Pachisi with us. SAFIYA If you werent such a cheater I might. QASIM Bastard, I knew it. ABDULLAH Come on, you can be on Amrikas team. YUSUF Go back inside. Do your job. SAFIYA My job is to help the jihad. How is baby-sitting a bunch of handicapped jokers, a mad woman, and an American prisoner who should have been executed the job of a mujahedeen? YUSUF Whats the duty of a mujahedeen? SAFIYA Upholding Allahs cause. YUSUF And whats the first thing a mujahedeen learns to do?

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SAFIYA Im sure youre going to tell me. YUSUF Follow orders. (Safiya shows exasperation but goes back inside.) ABDULLAH That Safiyas soon going to have a bigger beard than you, Qasim. QASIM Really? ABDULLAH Dont believe everything you hear, Amrika. Whos turn is it? QASIM Brother Yusuf. (Yusuf rolls the dice, moves his pieces). Is it true that in the West they mix their food with ground testicles of human corpses? YUSUF Are you mad? ABDULLAH (earnest) No, brother Yusufits true. Thats why their women grow out penises. Ive seen their magazines. YUSUF Those are just their hijras. ABDULLAH Not hijras. Beautiful from the top, looking like the virgins in heaven, but down there, I swear, penises big as donkeys! QASIM Thats why they wear mini-skirtsthey whip it out at the first sign of trouble. ABDULLAH Bigger than a cops baton. They smack their men with it. Thats why all their men are gay. No one wants to marry those women.

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QASIM Ive heard theyre having babies without men. YUSUF Impossible. ABDULLAH Its true. They get an injection, and Shazam! Three babies in nine weeks! YUSUF Westerners are crazy. They defile all of Allahs creation. ABDULLAH They dont even eat real food. Their meat is made in factories. QASIM Ive heard that some of them live to be three-four hundred years old but still look like twenty five years old. ABDULLAH They kidnap young girls, cut out their faces and breasts, and put it on old ladies. But the minute they start looking old, their children send them to special prisons to die. YUSUF Thats why they hate us. We havent lost the way. QASIM That Mary in thereis she an old lady? ABDULLAH Who knows. YUSUF Those Westerners are damned. And theyre trying to make us damned like them. QASIM They use black magic to convert you. ABDULLAH Yes! I know all about their dirty magic! Their neckties are full of that black magic. You start wearing it, and before you know it, you become a kaafir like them. My cousin Shafi used to wear one, back in the day. He was working for some Western oil company. Used to be quiet, godfearing. But once he started wearing that tie, he stopped praying, started drinking, cursing, saying fuck, fuck, fuck! like a bloody duck, and forgot his entire family.

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QASIM What happened to him? ABDULLAH We cut his head off. Its your turn (to roll the dice). FADE TO BLACK

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SCENE 7 (Everyone is seated in a semi-circle in the courtyard, except for Mohammed who stands. A vacant chair awaits the prisoner.) MULLAH SALIM (addressing the gathering) Brother Mohammed has given us an extra mouth to feed, and a prisoner for whom the Westerners are frantically searching. Let us remind him of the golden rule. ALL No prisoners, no mercy! MULLAH SALIM Prisoners compromise our jihad. Jihad-al-Nafs commands us to treat all visitors as guests, so how can do justice to a prisoner? Jihad-al-Sayf commands us to take the sword to the nonbelievers who oppress us, so how can we accept a prisoner? But Brother Mohammed has given us a burden and a distraction from our jihad. We can only ask that Allah show us the way. (He nods at Safiya, who enters the cave to reemerge with Mary. Mohammed handcuffs Mary on the chair she sits in for her inquisition. She squints, out in the light for the first time and inspects her surroundings.) MOHAMMED State your name. MARY Mary Dixon, journalist. MULLAH SALIM What Newspaper? MARY The Times. MULLAH SALIM Western propaganda. A government mouthpiece. You are a spy. MARY Im a reporter. Honest to god. MULLAH SALIM How easily the mouth of a Western operative takes the name of god.

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MARY Im not a spy. MULLAH SALIM Just a soldier? MARY A reporter. (Mullah Salim signals Mohammed, who chucks Marys army fatigues at her feet.) Army fatigues are standard issue for all journalists. For our protection. MULLAH SALIM So you can enjoy the action when we are slaughtered. Tell me, how many have you killed. MARY Ive never killed anyone. Im just a MULLAH SALIM How many deaths have you witnessed? (silence from Mary) How many women and children have you seen slaughtered, while you hover like a vulture? MARY No! NoIve only been out on 2 military combat missions. We got ambushed on both. We only retaliatedour soldiers fired in self-defense. MULLAH SALIM You are the invaders. We are in self-defense. We are retaliating. And now, we have some questions. Speak the truth. (Mullah Salim nods at Mohammed to begin the interrogation. Mohammed walks over to Mary, undoes her handcuffs. Mary stretches, rubs her wrists.) MOHAMMED No need for these. I dont think youre the violent kind. Whats your real name? MARY Mary Dixon.

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MOHAMMED Mary. Whats your fathers name? MARY Why? MOHAMMED Dont make me repeat myself. MARY Bruce Dixon. MOHAMMED How old are you? MARY Twenty seven. MOHAMMED What University did you attend? MARY Western University. MOHAMMED Whats the name of the Marine commander at Kotlah base? MARY Colonel Shafer. MOHAMMED What is the clearance password for the base camp at Kotlah? MARY (pause) Saint Louis Brady Bunch. MULLAH SALIM You are telling us the truth? MARY Yes. MOHAMMED How often is the password at your base camp in Kotlah changed?

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MARY Theres no fixed schedule. MOHAMMED How long have you been a soldier? MARY Im not a soldier. MOHAMMED And yet here you are. Camping out at Kotlah base with the 9th division Marines expeditionary unit. Most likely in your 2nd-rotation. But youre not the violent kind. You like to investigate, collect information. Analyze data. Help your forces, the violent kind, to kill us quickly and more efficiently. (Marys been shaking her head, and wants to interject) MARY No! Thats not MULLAH SALIM Silence! Wait your turn to speak. MOHAMMED Youre a Western agent masquerading as a journalist. Its a good cover. Maximize the protection, minimize the risk. Embed yourself. Get friendly with the locals, First, disarm them of their suspicion; loosen their tongues with cigarettes and alcohol, with your charms, your body do it for the fatherland. Then, use every piece of information to exterminate their friends and families. Spread deeper into enemy territory, interview more unsuspecting locals, record them, record their surroundings, gather more data. So that you can return to baseinvestigate and dissect everything. Then set out deeper still and do it all over again. Only this time, it goes wrong. The information you gained from your informant leads your sortie into a trap. You get captured. But youve got a cover, youre a journalist. Invoke the Geneva Convention. Plead for your release. Youve rehearsed it so many times. Work it. (SILENCE) MARY Youre making a huge mistake. MOHAMMED Work it. MARY Im not a spy. I dont have the training or equipment.

Mohammed & Mary--30

(At Mullah Salims signal, Qasim chucks a fanny pack to Mohammed. Mohammed retrieves Marys Cell phone from the pack.) MOHAMMED What do you call this? MARY A cell phone. MOHAMMED With an embedded micro-explosive and GPS translocator. Standard spy gear. MARY Its not my phone. It isit is a phone they issued all journalists. For our safety. MOHAMMED (takes out a diary, flips through it) What is this? MARY Its a diary. My journal. MOHAMMED Its blank. Some type of codebook? MARY Im not here for spying. I came here to report the truth, to tell both sides of the story. MULLAH SALIM Theres one story, one truth: aggressive Western forces wiping out people that do not conform to their godlessness. Mothers, daughters, sisterstarget practice, a hindrance to getting absolute control. MARY Thats not the truth. MULLAH SALIM Everything else is Western propaganda, justifying massacre and conquest. MARY Like you dont have a history of ethnic cleansing. MULLAH SALIM What happens in our land goes back to the dawn of history. All the way back to Genghiz Khan, Alexander, Cyrus the great. Thats a thousand years before the jews were putting collateral damage on Jesus and his beggars. But Allah has shown us the way the way of jihad, of struggle to retain our

Mohammed & Mary--31

MULLAH SALIM (contd) humanity. But your people are godless, pigs obsessed with filthgluttony, pornography, addictions you call medicine, women who dress like whores. MARY We believe in freedom of expression. MULLAH SALIM The only freedom youre allowed in your land is the freedom of indifference. They call it lifestyle. Your people cant care less who gets killed for their lifestyle. You sleep in your comfortable beds while halfway across the world your death machines kill our women and children. MARY Like the suicide bombers you send to murder innocent people? MULLAH SALIM We cannot murder people who have no soul. Your people belong to the devil and hate us because we have not lost our soulwe have not lost the way of Allah. Your drones bomb our homes but cant kill our faith. You can kill our children, castrate our men, rape our women, but you cant kill our faith. (SILENCE) MARY What do you want from me? MOHAMMED Lets say youre lying--you are an agent. Many buyers will want you. Sirdar Haqqani, Mustafah Hekmatyar, Mehsud Abdullahfactions that believe to defeat the devil, you have to become the devil. Rape the rapists, torture the torturers, sodomize the sodomizers. They would love to get their hands on you. MARY Im not a spy. MOHAMMED (shrugs) Maybe you are who you say you are. A journalist. A leftwing liberal. Out to prove herself. Here in the warzone because you want to make a difference. Because you believe in justice. Truth. MARY Yes. Yes, I do.

Mohammed & Mary--32

MOHAMMED Cooperate and the truth will liberate you. MARY What do you want? MULLAH SALIM Everything you know about the Western operating base. But first (Mohammed hands Mary a note, holds up a mike attached to a recorder) MARY (perusing the note) Whats this? MOHAMMED Proof of life for negotiating your release. Fill in the blanks as you read. Its recording. MARY My name is Mary Dixon. I have been captured by the Sahaar Revolutionary guard. I am in good health. The following details are for proof of life. Birth date: October 19, 1983. 9th-grade English teacher: Ms. Wilson. Brother/Sisters high school mascot? I have no siblings. My mothers best friends name: My mothers notshe passed away when I was five. My family can be contacted at: (212) 555 1515. My name is Mary Dixon and IIcondemn the brutal Western aggression in the Eastern land. (Mohammed switches off the recorder, snatches the note from Mary. At Mullah Salims signal, Safiya escorts Mary back into the cave. Mary stops, turns around.) MARY I need my diary. Im going to lose my mind in there. (Mullah Salim nods. Mohammed hands her the diary. Safiya and Mary enter the cave.) MOHAMMED Do you believe her? MULLAH SALIM (shrugs) It doesnt matter what she says. MOHAMMED What do you mean? MULLAH SALIM Time will tell. FADE TO BLACK

Mohammed & Mary--33

SCENE 8 (Cave. Mohammed is interrogating Mary. Zaynaab is sitting on her chair, knitting. Mohammed is dressed in Jihadi combat gear, Mary, dressed in a black hijab, is seated at a chair with a small table. Mary is dejected, worried.) MOHAMMED State your name for the record. MARY What record? Wheres the recorder? Whos taking notes? MOHAMMED State your Name. MARY Again and again and again? Ive told you everything I know a million times. MOHAMMED State your name. MARY Mary Elizabeth Dixon. MOHAMMED Mary Elizabeth Dixon. Which agency do you work for? MARY (exasperated) A news agency. The Times. MOHAMMED You report to whom? MARY I work for Jack Pierrot. Hes the editor in chief of the Eastern bureau. Hes the one you want to get in touch with. Hell know what to do, how to negotiate. Have you emailed him? A phone call, a letteranything? Just let them know Im alive. I beg of you. MOHAMMED Why are you here? MARY You abducted me, you coward.

Mohammed & Mary--34

MOHAMMED Youre here because youre a spy. MARY I demand to know whom youre negotiating with for my release. Have you contacted my father? Hes influential, he canhe can get things done. MOHAMMED Tell me about Forward Operating Base Eagle. MARY Ive told you everything I know. MOHAMMED Tell me about Supply cycles. Delivery protocols. Fuel chain logistics. Waste management ops. Plant ops. MARY I have no idea. MOHAMMED Dispacther shift routines. Procedures for equipment maintenance. Scheduled upgrades on firmware. (PAUSE) MARY How the hell am I supposed to know any of this? Im not military. I was stationed at FOB Eagle as an embedded journalist, their guest. Just like Im your guest now. I know diddly-squat about procedures and protocols. MOHAMMED Tell me something I dont already know, Mary Elizabeth Dixon. MARY Theres nothing more, Mohammed. Mohammed what? MOHAMMED None of your business. MARY Fine. Ill just call you Mohammed Jihadi. Better yet, Ill call you Mohammed Johnny. Thats what Safiya calls you. Johnny boy. MOHAMMED Its Rehmann.

Mohammed & Mary--35

MARY Mohammed Rehmann. Let me ask you somethingwhy are you here? MOHAMMED Dont test my patience. MARY Or what? What are you going to do? Have me state my name for record? MOHAMMED You want me to call Safiya? Shes just looking for an excuse. MARY I bet she is. Shes rabid. More man than you are. You dont even sound like the rest of them. MOHAMMED Youre lucky we dont touch women. You could have fallen into the hands of the Haqqani or the Sharif factionsthey dont ask questions. They only want whats between your legs. You spend your nights screaming, begging for mercy. MARY Im so grateful that it was you who kidnapped me, Mohammed Rehmann. Let me make one call to my bureau chiefIll be eternally grateful. MOHAMMED Thats not going to happen. MARY You want my cooperation, for what? When are you going to release me? What am I getting for my cooperation? MOHAMMED A step closer to freedom. MARY How many steps will it take? What are your demands? Who are you negotiating with? MOHAMMED Tell me everything you know about FOB Eagle. MARY (tortured) Ive told you everything I know! ZAYNAAB Tasemoo be hab lillahe jameean wa la tafarqu.

Mohammed & Mary--36

MARY What did she say? MOHAMMED Hold the rope of Allah and do not be divided. (PAUSE) MARY (somber) Whats wrong with her? MOHAMMED Shes suffered. MARY She never steps out. Always on that chair, ever since Ive been here. MOHAMMED Shes doing her job. MARY Shes like my guardian angel or something. But she needs help. Put her into psychiatric care? MOHAMMED Psychiatric care?! We dont even have wards for the wounded. Because youve collaterally damaged all our hospitals. Allah gave us the deserts and your wars given us the rubble. MARY Its not my war. MOHAMMED No. Its just your Western army bombing out our neighborhoods. MARY Like youre not booby-trapping the roads with IUDs and blowing our soldiers to pieces. MOHAMMED Theyre our roads. Get the hell off them! MARY Just because Im from the West doesnt mean I support our soldiers dying thousands of miles from home. I participated in every antiwar protest I could, wrote letters to my congressman, senator. Im not your enemy. MOHAMMED You were rolling in a Humvee with the expeditionary forceyoure the enemy. A spy.

Mohammed & Mary--37

MARY An embedded journalist. MOHAMMED Youre a spy. And youre going to tell us everything you know. Now, lets start from the beginning. Why did you come here? MARY I came here to report the truth. (Silence. As theyre locked in a stare, Safiya strides into the cave. Pause as he regards them, they her.) SAFIYA Am I interruptingwere you about to propose? MOHAMMED I dont need your sarcasm, Safiya. I have a job to do. SAFIYA So do it, Johnny boy. If you want to get rough with her, just give me the signal. Ill take auntie out and let you have the run of the cave. Then you can do whatever you want, get from your Mary what it is youre needing so badly. MOHAMMED (exploding) Safiya, enough! (Safiya grabs his jaw, eyeballs him, fearless.) SAFIYA You dont scare me, Mohammed. I remember the days my brother Osman would throw stones at stray dogs to get them barking mad just so youd piss your pants trying to run from them. Why dont you tell your Juliet about the time you ran so far that you got lost? (releasing him, to Mary) They had to send the constables looking for him. They found him muddied and whimpering atop a deodar tree. MOHAMMED I was six years old. SAFIYA And I was five. But I was never scared. MOHAMMED Hiding behind your bully of a brother. I heard he died of poisoning or something?

Mohammed & Mary--38

SAFIYA He got what he deserved. FADE TO BLACK

Mohammed & Mary--39

SCENE 9 (Cave, middle of the night. Mary and Zaynaab are sleeping in cots, while Safiya sleeps on the floor. Zaynaab gets upshes sleepwalking. She surveys Safiya, then stands by Marys cot for a long moment. When she speaks, its in a haunted, even-keeled manner.) ZAYNAAB Zeenat! Wake up! Villains, villains! Wake up, Zeenat. Run, run! (She shakes Mary till Mary awakes and sits up.) MARY (whisper) Zaynaab? What wrong? ZAYNAAB Run, run! Protect your sisters! Dirty men in our house. Dirty hands, dirty fingers. Run, Zeenat! (An awakened Safiya springs up and tries to put an arm around Zaynaab.) SAFIYA Auntie, its okay. Auntie! (Zaynaab shakes her off, her voice never losing its even keel.) ZAYNAAB Naseem, my heart is breaking. Pack. Take Zeenat. Your fatherhis dirty friends. Twisted tongues. Take Zeenat, go! (Safiya retrieves a lantern, lights it. The cave flickers in long shadows. Zaynaab hurries to her chair, topples it aside, and lifts the rug to reveal a trapdoor.) Go! Go with your sister. Take the tunnel. Go to Moradabad. MARY Whats wrong with her? SAFIYA Sleepwalking. ZAYNAAB Only chance. I will stop them. Wasim. Dirty villains in the house. Take Zeenat. (Safiya puts her an arm around Zaynaabs shoulders, but again Zaynaab shakes her off.) ZAYNAAB (contd)

Mohammed & Mary--40

Daddy forgot my birthday. He didnt come. Where is his bag of pine nuts? Wasim has dirty hands. SAFIYA Auntie, you must lie down. (She tries to guide Zaynaab back to her cot.) ZAYNAAB Dont touch me, you foreigner! Keep your dirty hands off! Keep off Zeennat! You dont fool me! You dont fool me! Get out, get out of my house! (Zaynaabs voice remain even keeled but her physicality increases as she pushes at Safiya.) SAFIYA Auntie, its Safiya! You need to wake up. Wake up, Auntie! ZAYNAAB Why did you bring us here? There is nothing here. My daughters live in a prison, serving tea, avoiding stares. We cannot breathe. We cannot breathe. (She shoves Safiya with enough force to send her stumbling. As she goes to sit next to Mary, Safiya prepares a sedative injection from a first aid box. Shes done this before.) (Safiya injects an unresisting Zaynaab with the sedative.) (to Mary) Zeenat, take care of yourself. Eat lots of rice pudding. Almonds and raisins. Strength for the baby. Its going to be a girl. My Abujaan will take care of us. (Safiya leads Zaynaab back to her cot. Lies her down. Shes calm now.) In the winter, the garden is full of roses. The swing is broken now but I will tell Abujaan to fix it, so that my grandchildren can play on it. SAFIYA Hush, auntie, you need to sleep. Its late. ZAYNAAB Wasim looks just like the strange, bearded men he brought home with him. Always shouting, always angry. They have brought the war into my home. (SILENCE. Zaynaab is asleep. Safiya reorganizes the chair and rug over the trapdoor.) SAFIYA Its locked, and Ive got the key. In any case, you wouldnt get far in the mountains.

Mohammed & Mary--41

(Safiya then extinguishes the lantern and lays down on her makeshift bed on the ground.) MARY What happened to her daughters? SAFIYA Mullah Hakims menfrom the Shura-e-Fiqrabducted her daughters. She searched everywhere for them, for weeks. No one knew anything. Her husband Wasim deserted her, went off with his jihadis. Then one day she found Zeenat and Naseems bodies in the marketplace. She was wandering when I found her. I brought her to Mullah Salim. Now she has us. MARY Im sorry. SAFIYA Shut up. FADE TO BLACK

Mohammed & Mary--42

SCENE 10 (Inside the cave. Zaynaab is knitting as usual. Mohammed and Mary are standing, in the middle of a heated discussion.) MARY You dont know, Mullah Salim doesnt know, so who knows?! How long are you going to keep me here like this? MOHAMMED As long as it takes. MARY Takes for what? MOHAMMED Im the one asking the questions here. Sit down! MARY Or else? MOHAMMED You dont want to know. MARY I do want to know. Why am I still here? Whos been contacted? Whats the ransomMoney? Exchange of prisoners? MOHAMMED Sit down. (After a stare down, Mary sits down on the carpet.) Lets take it from the beginning. How did you get clearance to embed at Forward Operating Base Eagle? MARY Weve been over this a thousand times. MOHAMMED Humor me. MARY My dad pulled some strings.

Mohammed & Mary--43

MOHAMMED Thats right. Youre really here to get out of Daddys shadow but daddys in charge. MARY Im really here because I want to get to the truth of this war, this jihad. I want to know whats going on behind all prepackaged images and sound-bites we get back home. I want to know about people like Zaynaab, and like those three guys who sit in the sun all day, nursing their disabilities but seem to be so full of life. I want the world to know. MOHAMMED Sounds like a perfect cover. Youve got access to all the military communications and planning, and all the cash you need to turn informants. MARY You were not supposed to abduct me. I know your prime directive: no prisoners, no mercy. MOHAMMED Youre lucky I didnt kill you on sight. Youre here because youre a member of an invading force thats killing civilians until the only thing left on this land will be mujahedeens. MARY You mean cowards like you? MOHAMMED Dont talk to me about being a coward, you embedded hack. You dont get remotely close to the warzone from inside those cocoons of Humvees. You should thank me for taking you out of your bubble and showing you what the real truth is like over here. MARY I agree. I would have never known that the truth over here consists of inactivity and thumbtwiddling. MOHAMMED You go from the belly of a Humvee to the belly of a cave and suddenly you know the truth? MARY Whats not true about your people ambushing us at every possible turn, of sending suicide bombers to kill your own civilians? MOHAMMED (raises a peremptory hand) Why are your people even here? Butchering women, children in a land thats thousands of miles from the nearest frosted donut? MARY (giggles) frosted donut?

Mohammed & Mary--44

MOHAMMED Pecan pie. Whatever. MARY What are you doing here? Youre not even like them. MOHAMMED You know nothing. MARY Safiya doesnt respect you, Johnny boy. MOHAMMED Safiya. Has issues. MARY Zaynaab calls you Hasan. MOHAMMED Hasan? Why? MARY (shrugs) Ask her. The three stooges out there who sit in the sun all day playing board gamesI dont think they respect you. Whats your story, Mr. Mohammed? MOHAMMED The only story you need to worry about is yours, Ms. Dixon. And how its going to end. MARY Thats exactly my question and youre not answering it. Why am I being kept here? Why cant I make a call? Why cant I communicate with the baseat least send them a letter, an update, saying Im alive, as well as I can possibly be under the circumstances. Itll help the negotiation for my release. (PAUSE) MOHAMMED Theres no negotiation. MARY What? MOHAMMED Your side has refused to negotiate for you. (PAUSE)

Mohammed & Mary--45

MARY Contact my fatheryou have his number. Hes rich. Im his only child. MOHAMMED We did. MARY What happened? MOHAMMED Hes not negotiating. MARY Thats not possible. What did he say? MOHAMMED Something about his being a pillar of strength in the face of adversity. Your side has refused to negotiate for you. How does that make you feel? MARY I dont believe you. Let me talk to him, please! MOHAMMED Thats not possible. We call miles from here, to avoid signal detection. (PAUSE) MARY No ones negotiating for me? (deflated) How will I ever get out? In a body bag? MOHAMMED Thats Mullah Salims decision. MARY And you? MOHAMMED Me what? MARY What do you think? MOHAMMED Its irrelevant what I think.

Mohammed & Mary--46

MARY Is that why youre here? MOHAMMED What? MARY (angry) You were living in my country, an out and out immigrant success story, but then you decide to just up and chuck everything for this jihad of yours where youre telling me what you think is irrelevant? MOHAMMED You dont know anything. MARY Tell me what you think, Mohammed. Or Johnny, or Hasan or whatever your name is. Or is thinking not part of your jihad? MOHAMMED Think? I wasnt thinking. I had adopted every Western vice as if it would make me belong. I had forgotten my family, my people. My duty. I was a cog in that great military-industrial complex you call freedom and lived without a care that my lifestyle depended on the daily extermination of lives elsewhere. I didnt care, I didnt think. I was a walking dead like everyone else over there. MARY But youre here now, youve seen the light. Youve become a mujahedeen. MOHAMMED I woke up too late, only after the news of my familys massacre at the hands of the very lifestyle I belonged to. MARY So you gave up that lifestyle for this one? You call that thinking? MOHAMMED Being here helps me remember my mother, my sister, my friends and family. All massacred while I lived like a pig, a killer in the land of killers. MARY So youve come back for what? MOHAMMED A jihadi doing his duty.

Mohammed & Mary--47

MARY Duty to being a killer? MOHAMMED Duty to protect the innocent, to fight to the death against injustice. MARY And your duty to me? Im a civilian, a daughter. Whats your duty say about that? MOHAMMED My duty is to the jihad not the invader. MARY Im a journalist. I have a duty too. My dutys to uncover the truth. Do whatever I can to expose both sides of the story. Im not the invader. Im the reporter, not the enemy. If you want to walk the walk, you should let me go. MOHAMMED Thats for Mullah Salim to decide. (SILENCE. After a moment, Safiya enters. Shes in a bad mood. She surveys them.) SAFIYA What is this? Interrogation by telepathy? MOHAMMED The interrogations finished. SAFIYA Finished? How can it finish when it never started? All Ive heard is bakbak. Just talk. He: Blah, blah, blah. She: Blah, blah, blah. MOHAMMED Shes been cooperative, if thats what you mean. SAFIYA I should have been in charge of this. Would have slapped that smugness off her face. MOHAMMED Take it up with Mullah Salim. SAFIYA I will. Hes coming in tonight. Bringing Muzaffar Mian with him. MOHAMMED Haqqanis man? Why?

Mohammed & Mary--48

SAFIYA (gives Mary a look) Her vacation is coming to an end. FADE TO BLACK

Mohammed & Mary--49

SCENE 11 (In the cave, Zaynaab is seated in her chair, knitting as usual. Mary is seated on the rug, on the floor, writing in her journal. She studies Zaynaab.) MARY When Qasim ordered you and your daughters to leave your home for the desert, was there nothing you could do? (PAUSE) Did you ever find out what happened to your father? (Zaynaab doesnt respond. So Mary continues writing. Safiya enters the cave armed with her Kalashnikov. Her excitement is palpable.) SAFIYA Write all you want, but your fate has already been written. MARY (nods at Zaynaab.) The world should know her story. The world should know yours. Something happened to you too. These things are hard to talk about. But you can tell me. I promiseI will share your stories with the world. SAFIYA You dont need our storiesyoure going to start living them. MARY What do you mean? SAFIYA Haqqanis man is sitting right outside this door, negotiating for you. MARY For my release? SAFIYA Hahaha! Yes, your freedom! MARY Youre lying. SAFIYA Tomorrow, youll be free from us. Your holiday is over.

Mohammed & Mary--50

MARY (hopeful) You dont mean SAFIYA I hope you had a pleasant stay. MARY ButMohammed didnt say anything. SAFIYA Johnny boys not in charge. He didnt know anything. (nods towards the courtyard) Hes finding out the truth right now. MARY I need to talk to him, please. SAFIYA Youre going to miss your Johnny boy. Where youre going, they dont interrogate. MARY What are you talking about? Where am I going? SAFIYA Youre going to Haqqani. His special hell on earth for women. MARY Why? SAFIYA Be happyits your shortcut to the truth. Youll find out everything you ever wanted to know. How a woman becomes less than an animal. How shes stripped of her clothes, then her chastity, then her honour, then her senses, then her mind. How her body becomes a violation of kicks and punches, crusting blood and blackened bruises. How she becomes an abomination of life and how her soul aches for the deliverance of death. (PAUSE) MARY (whisper) How can youAre you a woman? SAFIYA I was. (SILENCE)

Mohammed & Mary--51

SAFIYA (contd) But a woman cant go to school, while her elder brothers can. A woman cant protest when her father is arrested for teaching her to read. Or when her eldest brother marries her off to the warlord to ransom for her fathers release. And then a woman cant attend her fathers funeral because shes a slave in her husbands house. (PAUSE) A woman doesnt talk back or protest. A woman doesnt kill her husband or her traitorous brother. (PAUSE) Dont confuse me for a woman. I am a mujahedeen. MARY (rising anger) A mujahedeenwhat does that even mean? SAFIYA A warrior fighting for the holy cause. MARY And whats so holy about what going to be done to me? SAFIYA My duty is to the Jihad, to Mullah Salim. MARY (throwaway) Mullah Salim, Mullah Haqqaniwhats the difference? (In a flash, Safiya pounces on Mary, pulls her up against the wall and holds a dagger to her throat.) SAFIYA I should kill you! How dare you insult Mullah Salim?! (Mohammed stands at the threshold, unnoticed by the women.) MARY Whats the difference? SAFIYA Mullah Salim is the only one who took me in, gave me food and shelter, allowed me to walk with my head held high, allowed me to wear what I want to wear, say what I feel like saying. Mullah Salim trained me, taught me how to be a warrior.

Mohammed & Mary--52

MOHAMMED SafiyaMullah Salim wants Mary ready for inspection in the morning. SAFIYA Mullah Salim is a visionary, the only hope left for our land. (Safiya releases Mary.) MARY Why is your visionary sending me to Haqqani? MOHAMMED Youve been bartered for five rockets, five thousand rounds, fifty kilos of rice, and half a dozen goats. MARY Why? MOHAMMED (shrugs) Winter is coming. (Mohammed exits. Safiya pushes Mary towards the cot.) SAFIYA Sit down. (Mary does as shes told. Safiya puts the chain restraints on her. Zaynaab suddenly come alive, moves towards Safiya. Shes completed knitting a pink, woolen baby jumper.) ZAYNAAB No. SAFIYA Its the rule. For all prisoners. ZAYNAAB Shes not SAFIYA Yes! Yes, she is. And tonight, we have to be extra careful. Watch her. (to Mary) Get used to it youre futures tied up in chains. Watch her, auntie, till I return. (Safiya exits the cave. Zaynaab sits down next to Mary on the cot)

Mohammed & Mary--53

ZAYNAAB (showing her the jumper) I made it for you. Its the best wool, from the chyangra goat. Do you like it, my daughter? (Mary nods.) Itll keep you warm and cozy even in the coldest winters. Wash it in cold water, spread it on a rock, dry it in the shade. The color will never fade, even long after I am gone. (Mary is overcome, and begins to weep. Zaynaab comforts her, singing a song, gently rocking her.) ZAYNAAB (SONG)
Lap pe aati hai dua ban ke tamanna meri Lap pe aati hai dua ban ke tamanna meri Zindgi shama ki surat ho Khudaya meri Zindgi shama ki surat ho Khudaya meri Door duniya ka mere dam se andhera hojaye Door duniya ka mere dam se andhera hojaye Har jagah mere chamakne se ujala hojaye Har jagah mere chamakne se ujala hojaye Ho mere dum se yohe mere watan ki zeenat Ho mere dum se yohe mere watan ki zeenat Jistara phool se hoti hai chaman ki zeenat Jistara phool se hoti hai chaman ki zeenat Zindigi ho meri parwaane ki soorat ya rab Zindagi ho meri parwaane ki soorat ya rab Ilm ki shama se ho mujko mohabat ya rab Ilm ki shama se ho mujko mohabat ya rab Ho mera kaam ghareebon ki himayat karna Ho mera kaam ghareebon ki himayat karna Dardmandon se, Zaeefon se muhabbat karna Dardmandon se, Zaeefon se muhabbat karna Mere Allah! Buraee se bachana mujhko Mere Allah! Buraee se bachana mujhko Naik jo raah ho us rah pe chalana mujhko Naik jo raah ho us rah pe chalana mujhko.
My heart's desire comes to my lips as a prayer God, make my life as one of a candle, a guiding light, My presence would destroy the darkness of this world, And my burning light would illuminate all space My actions would be for my country, beautiful and admired Just as a flower adds to the beauty of a garden My life would be like that of a moth that loves light and flies into it, O Lord! Such would be my love for Knowledge, O Lord! I would work not but to help the poor And to fill the lives of the lost and old with love O God, save me from the evil and wrong And keep me on the path that is straight and righteous.

FADE TO BLACK END OF ACT I INTERMISSION