EXT SANTA MARIA DELLA VITTORIA NIGHT

The 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: 696