Chapter 158: Game
Heavy rain poured from the sky. Eight American soldiers clutched their weapons, carefully taking cover behind a ruined house. The captain among them edged toward the courtyard gate, peering through a crack as if observing enemy activity outside.
Just behind them, three cameramen in custom rain ponchos held handheld cameras, capturing each soldier's authentic reactions from pre-selected angles.
Just outside the downpour, Duke stood in his own poncho on a purpose-built observation deck, overlooking the entire battlefield.
The artificial rain beating continuously against his face didn't feel cold; instead, a hint of warmth lingered on his skin. Although late February in Ireland was past the most frigid part of the year, the temperature remained quite low. Naturally, the crew couldn't use freezing water for the shoot, opting to create artificial rain at a comfortable temperature instead.
Rain always brought trouble. Including rehearsals, this was their seventh take of the scene in three days. Fortunately, Duke could see that the actors were hitting their stride, and no issues had cropped up today so far.
Perhaps it was because the shoot was nearing its end. As soon as this scene was finished, the crew could leave gloomy, cold Ireland and head to France to bask in the warm sunshine.
Another squad rushed past the gate. The captain, played by Tom Hanks, shouted, "Thunder!"
An immediate response rang out from the opposite side: "Flash!"
From Duke's angle, Tom Hanks was seamlessly assigning tasks, as composed as a true, battle-hardened officer. His unit split into two teams—one providing cover, the other pushing forward—and quickly linked up with another US squad.