BACK IN THE OFFICE,Langdon looks at the key, and its odd shape. Looks down at the
monitor, the same odd shape where its switch should be.
124.
IN LANGDON'S MIND,
they're back in the Pope's office, but Rocher is alive, and saying
words he said earlier:
ROCHER
The Holy Father was subject to
seizures... but he took steps.
BACK IN THE OFFICE,
Rocher's voice continues over, but Langdon mouths the words as he
remembers them:
ROCHER'S VOICE (O.S.)
"MADE SURE HE WAS WATCHED."
IN LANGDON'S MIND,
Rocher is back in the office again, finishing his sentence:
ROCHER
For safety.
IN ROCHER'S OFFICE,
Langdon holds the key up, repeating those last words:
LANGDON
For safety.
He lowers the key to the monitor, extending it toward the keyhole
-- and it's a perfect fit. He twists it.
And with a ZZZZT of power, the monitor winks to life. An image
comes into focus.
VITTORIA
Where's that?
LANGDON
That...is the papal office.
On the monitor,
they are indeed looking at an image of the Pope's office. There
are two dead bodies on the floor, covered with sheets, and VATICAN
POLICE are photographing everything. Must be live.
IN ROCHER'S OFFICE,
Langdon's figuring it out.
125.
LANGDON
The Pope spent a lot of time in
contemplation, alone. If he was
worried about seizures, he must have
asked Rocher to install a camera
without telling anyone. To keep an
eye on him. For safety. And
maybe --
He reaches down to the screen, toward a touch panel at the bottom.
You don't have to be a symbologist to understand these symbols-
play, pause, fast forward.
And rewind. Langdon touches it.
ON THE MONITOR,
the image ZIPS backwards, rapidly, to the shooting, and the all
the way back to when Rocher and the Camerlengo were alone
together. Rocher stands just behind him, the Camerlengo still
kneels before the fireplace.
As the image starts to play forward, in real time, we go in close
on the monitor and come out --
INT POPE'S OFFICE NIGHT
-- in the papal office, to watch the scene in person.
CAMERLENGO
The scientist kept journals? So?
ROCHER
You figure prominently in them.
The Camerlengo turns his eyes back to the flames, stirring the
embers with a poker.
CAMERLENGO
Really.
ROCHER
Leonardo wasn't just a physicist, he
was a Catholic priest. Deeply
conflicted about the implications of
his work and in need of spiritual
guidance. About a month ago, he
requested an audience with the Pope.
But you'd know that, because you
granted the audience, and were present
during it.
The Camerlengo twists the poker in the fire. Speaks softly.
126.
CAMERLENGO
The fool thought he had duplicated the
moment of creation.
ROCHER
And the Holy Father urged him to go
public. His Holiness thought the
discovery might actually prove the
existence of a divine power -- begin
to bridge the gap between religion and
science.
CAMERLENGO
Science. The new God. Ignore the
weapons and chaos and madness.
The Camerlengo looks up at him, and his expression is different
than we've ever seen it. Contemptuous. Angry. Violent.
CAMERLENGO (cont'd)
His work was not religious, it was
sacrilegious!
ROCHER
But you saw the Pope's position as a
softening of church law. An old
man's weakness. Your father's
weakness.
CAMERLENGO
He raised me to protect the church.
Even from within.
ROCHER
So you brought an old enemy back from
the dead to frighten people.
CAMERLENGO
Nothing unites hearts like the
presence of evil.
ROCHER
It didn't work, Father.
CAMERLENGO
It isn't finished.
ROCHER
I've informed Father Simeon of what I
learned and he'll get word to the
Cardinals the moment conclave opens.
The Camerlengo looks at him calmly for a moment --
127.
CAMERLENGO
I was planning on doing this alone.
-- and then removes the poker from the fire. But it isn't a
poker, it's a long-handled brand, with a cross of some kind at the
end.
Rocher pulls his gun, holds it at his side.
ROCHER
Put that down.
The Camerlengo rips open his cassock with his free hand.
CAMERLENGO
But perhaps it's better that you're
here.
ROCHER
(raising the gun)
Put it down!
But the Camerlengo RAMS the red-hot brand into the exposed flesh
of his bare chest. His skin SIZZLES and smokes, Rocher SHOUTS,
the Camerlengo SCREAMS in agony, and we know the rest --
-- the door bursts open, Swiss Guard pour in, Rocher is shot,
Father Simeon races toward the Camerlengo --
FR. SIMEON
You bastard! You sanctimonious-
-- and the Camerlengo rolls over, pointing one long finger at
Father Simeon and CRYING OUT:
CAMERLENGO
ILLUMINATUS!
As we saw before, Lt. Chartrand FIRES THREE TIMES, killing Father
Simeon in his tracks, we pull back, the image turns to --
INT ROCHER'S OFFICE NIGHT
-- video again, and as we complete the move out from the monitor,
we see it isn't Langdon and Vittoria watching the image this time --
--- but Cardinal Mortati, flanked by two other red-robed Cardinals
and a half-dozen Swiss Guardsman.
Langdon and Vittoria stand to one side as Mortati turns and looks
at them. Suddenly, he seems very, very old.
CUT TO:
128.
Date: 2015-12-18; view: 620
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