EXT IN THE SKY NIGHTThe Camerlengo CRUNCHES off the side of another building and
drifts downward, fast, toward the crowd in St. Peter's.
His unconscious form SMASHES through a dozen people before SLAMMING
to the ground at one edge of the square.
AND IN THE SKY ABOVE,
the blast suddenly turns inward on itself, the heat and light and
sound all seeming to suck back up into a perfect horizontal line,
which then collapses in from the sides, until once again it is
just a speck of white hot light --
-- that disappears into the night.
EXT ST. PETER'S SQUARE NIGHT
The only sound that remains in the square is a soft night wind.
The wounded pick themselves up off the ground.
The crowd, realizing the blast is over, turns its attention to the
body of the Camerlengo, on the far side of the square.
Langdon and Vittoria try to make their way toward him, but the
crowd surges past them, and we soar over the heads of the crowd,
wanting to get there first, wanting to be the first ones to see
--- his eyes open. He's alive.
WIDE ON THE SQUARE AS
a great CHEER rises up from the crowd.
CUT TO:
INT SISTINE CHAPEL NIGHT
The CHEERS from outside are clearly audible in the Sistine Chapel,
where the doors have been thrown open and they have gotten the
news. Jubilation reigns.
A SWISS GUARDSMAN runs in, finds Cardinal Mortati.
120.
SWISS GUARDSMAN
Signore Mortati, he is alive! The
Camerlengo is alive!
MORTATI
Praise God.
But he looks around him -- the Cardinals have split into small
groups, they're discussing something with great animation amongst
themselves.
Mortati watches, doesn't like what he's seeing.
CUT TO:
INT OFFICE OF THE SWISS GUARD NIGHT
Langdon and Vittoria, on a bench in the office of the Swiss Guard,
are having superficial wounds treated. The buzz in the office is
intense, just as excited as in the square and the Sistine Chapel.
Langdon looks over at Vittoria.
LANGDON
Are you okay?
She looks back at him, nods. Smiles. He reaches over, interlaces
his fingers with hers, and takes her hand.
LANGDON (cont'd)
Thank God.
She smiles, turns his hand, noticing the glass on his wristwatch
is broken. He notices, seems distressed.
VITTORIA
Do we have time for that story now?
LANGDON
Do I have someone to tell it to?
She smiles and kisses the back of his hand -- yes. A ROAR
comes from outside and we see --
EXT ST. PETER'S SQUARE NIGHT
-- the crowd in St. Peter's Square, in rapture. There is SINGING,
there's CHANTING of the Camerlengo's name. It's exactly
midnight.
121.
INT SISTINE CHAPEL NIGHT
In the Sistine Chapel, Cardinal Mortati is in hushed, urgent
conversation with a group of seven or eight Cardinals.
MORTATI
Signores... you are no doubt aware
that by Holy Law the man is ineligible
for election to the papacy. He is
not a cardinal, he is a priest, a
chamberlain. And there is the
matter of his inadequate age. I'm
sorry, the protocols of conclave are
not subject to modification. I will
not call a ballot on this matter.
The African Cardinal who cast his vote earlier speaks up.
AFRICAN CARDINAL
But Signore, you would not call the
ballot. Surely you remember -- you
gave up your post as Great Elector.
Mortati looks at him. Boxed into a corner.
Outside, the crowd in St. Peter's can be heard, singing joyously.
A SECOND CARDINAL steps forward.
SECOND CARDINAL
They are singing in St. Peter's
Square! What happened here tonight
transcends our laws!
MORTATI
Does it? Is it God's will that we
abandon reason and give ourselves over
to frenzy? Discard the rules of the
church?
A THIRD CARDINAL now, a peacemaker:
THIRD CARDINAL
Perhaps they need not be discarded.
They all look at him.
THIRD CARDINAL (cont'd)
I am thinking now of Romano Pontifici
Eligendo, Numero 63.
Most of the Cardinals look puzzled -- but Mortati's face darkens.
122.
THIRD CARDINAL (cont'd)
Balloting is not the only method by
which a Pope can be elected. There
is another, more divine method.
MORTATI
"Acclimation by Adoration."
THIRD CARDINAL
Si, signore!
The Second Cardinal sparks to this idea.
SECOND CARDINAL
Of course!
(answering those around
him who look confused)
Election by Adoration occurs when
all the cardinals, as if by
inspiration of the Holy Spirit,
freely and spontaneously,
unanimously and aloud, proclaim one
individual's name.
THIRD CARDINAL
And the law states that Adoration
supersedes all other eligibility
requirements. The candidate need
only be an ordained member of the
clergy.
(DRAMATICALLY)
BUT!
(they listen)
He must be present in the Sistine
Chapel at the moment of election.
Many cries now of "Bring the Camerlengo to us!"
Mortati looks deeply troubled.
CUT TO:
INT ROCHER'S OFFICE NIGHT
Bandaged now, Langdon and Vittoria are ushered into Rocher's
office by a Swiss Guardsman.
SWISS GUARDSMAN
Please wait here while we arrange your
transportation. May I get you
anything?
123.
They shake their heads, no thanks. Settle into chairs to the
side of Rocher's desk.
They look uncomfortable -- it's weird to be in a dead man's
office.
Vittoria looks at his desk. Thinks of something.
She gets up and goes to it, running her hand lightly over it.
LANGDON
What are you doing?
VITTORIA
Leonardo's journals. I want them
back.
She feels in the surface of the desk and finds the square outline
of the inlaid panel where Rocher hid the journals. She tries
prying it open, but that doesn't work, she tries pushing down on
the front of it --
-- and the panel slowly rotates open. The journals, which were
laid on top of the television monitor, slide out and onto the
desk.
Vittoria scoops them up and is about to close the panel again
when --
LANGDON
Wait a minute.
He looks down at the monitor. Thinking.
At its odd, key-shaped on/off switch.
He pulls something from his pocket -- the key Rocher gave him,
just as he died.
IN LANGDON'S MIND,
he sees Rocher's face, looking up at him, dying:
ROCHER
For safety.
Date: 2015-12-18; view: 640
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