EXT SANTA MARIA DELLA VITTORIA NIGHTThe police cars come to an abrupt stop in front of the Church of
Santa Maria della Vittoria. Flames glow like evil eyes through
the stained-glass windows fifty feet above the ground.
A small CROWD has gathered, stabbing at their cell phones. A
SIREN WAILS in the distance.
INT SISTINE CHAPEL NIGHT
Mortati's Aide, Father Simeon, takes advantage of the open Sistine
Chapel doors and slips inside. He takes a place just behind
Mortati as the Camerlengo goes on.
CAMERLENGO
Science and religion are not enemies.
But there are things that science is
simply too young to understand. We
are here to lead, but how?
EXT SANTA MARIA DELLA VITTORIA NIGHT
With three sharp CRACKS, Olivetti fires into the lock in the front
door of the church. He KICKS it open --
-- and flame RIPS out into the night air.
INT SISTINE CHAPEL NIGHT
The Camerlengo speaks faster now:
78.
CAMERLENGO
Shall we cloak ourselves in silence
and secrecy, as in the past? Or do
we open the doors, take down the
blackened curtains, and speak to our
flock?
INT SANTA MARIA DELLA VITTORIA NIGHT
Olivetti, Langdon, and four other VATICAN POLICE make their way
into the burning church. There is a massive pile of church pews
in the center aisle, burning wildly.
INT SISTINE CHAPEL NIGHT
The Camerlengo's wrapping up:
CAMERLENGO
Signores, I ask, no, I pray that you
break this conclave. Open the
doors.
INT SANTA MARIA DELLA VITTORIA NIGHT
In the burning church, two heavy incensor cables run from the
walls of the church and rise above the burning pews at an angle,
strung tightly to a center point. Langdon follows the wires up
with his eyes --
INT SISTINE CHAPEL NIGHT
CAMERLENGO
Evacuate St. Peter's Square.
INT BURNING CHURCH NIGHT
-- the wires meet at a center point, just above the roaring
flames, where --
INT SISTINE CHAPEL NIGHT
CAMERLENGO
Tell the world the truth.
INT BURNING CHURCH NIGHT
-- the third cardinal, still alive, is suspended over the searing
flames.
A word is branded into the center of his bared chest:
FIRE.
79.
Vatican Police, led by Olivetti and Vincenzo, race into the
building and draw their weapons. Olivetti SHOUTS to them in
Italian, looking for a way to cut down the agonized cardinal.
Langdon races toward the pyre, but is repelled by a wall of heat
ten feet away.
The Cardinal SCREAMS, and Langdon looks to the sides, following
the cables that reach to the walls.
One of the Vatican Cops ducks
INTO THE LEFT SIDE AISLE,
which is lit only by the wild orange flames. He creeps forward,
gun in front of him, toward a fire extinguisher mounted on the
wall.
He reaches for it --
-- but a HAND reaches for him from behind, he's pulled off his
feet and --
IN THE MAIN AISLE,
Olivetti and Vincenzo whirl as TWO GUNSHOTS come from the darkened
side aisle. They race toward it.
AT THE BONFIRE,
Langdon SHOUTS to two more Vatican Cops, pointing upward.
LANGDON
The cleat, on the wall! Get
something to stand on!
He's pointing at a cleat, maybe ten feet up on the wall, where the
right guide wire is attached.
Vatican Cops 2 & 3 drag a half-burned pew out of the fire and pull
it underneath, leaning it against the wall for greater height,
Langdon starts to climb it, to uncleat the wire.
Date: 2015-12-18; view: 548
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