UNDERNEATH THE BURNING PEWS,

Langdon has crawled as close as he dares to the raging fire, and

the sleeve of his shirt is ablaze. He rolls out the other side

of the embers, stamping out the flames, gets to his feet, and

takes off running.

Mr. Gray pursues, only slowing his gait slightly to DOUBLE TAP two

shots into the head of a dying Vatican Cop.

ACROSS THE CHURCH,

Langdon hurls himself over a balustrade and into a chapel on the

far side of the church. Bullets SHATTER the glass of an

elevated crypt, three feet off the floor. (Inside is a superbly

detailed wax statue of a saint in death.)

Langdon dives under it and crawls backwards, staring in horror at

Mr. Gray's feet as they approach the chapel from across the

church.

Langdon's back THUDS into a wall.

Dead end.

But there's an old wooden grating in the wall. He turns, KICKS

it with both feet.

The grating CRUNCHES into pieces, revealing a narrow crawlspace

IN THE CRAWL SPACE,

Langdon army-crawls through it.

Mr. Gray's face appears in the entry to the crypt. He pauses to

change clips on his handgun --

-- the floor beneath Langdon abruptly runs out --

-- Mr. Gray raises his gun --

-- and Langdon disappears. The gunshots THUD into cement wall

where he was, not where he is.

83.

UNDERGROUND,

Langdon CRUNCHES to a hard landing on a subterranean stone floor,

rolls over, and sees Mr. Gray above him, now pointing down.

But there's another crawl space, and Langdon scurries into it.

IN THE SECOND CRAWL SPACE,

it's hopelessly dark, an even tighter space than the last one,

filled with cobwebs that Langdon blindly claws his way through.

He hits another hole in the floor, falls a second time ---

INTO THE CATACOMB,

-- and lands on top of a pile of long-decayed skeletons in the

nearly-black bottom of the church's underground warren of hiding

places.

He looks up. He's ten feet from the nearest handhold, only a

fool would follow him down here

BACK UP IN THE BURNING CHURCH,

-- and Mr. Gray is no fool. He steps back over the balustrade

and leaves the chapel.

The waxen face of the carving in the sarcophagus melts in the

intense heat of the out-of-control fire.

CUT TO:

INT SISTINE CHAPEL - SALON NIGHT

In the salon outside the Sistine Chapel, the Camerlengo waits

alone. From inside can be heard the sound of VOICES in debate.

Finally, the big doors open and Cardinal Mortati emerges, goes to

him.

MORTATI

My son... God answers all prayers.

He puts a hand on the Camerlengo's shoulder.

MORTATI (cont'd)

But sometimes the answer is no.

The Camerlengo closes his eyes -- this is a terrible, terrible

mistake.

84.

MORTATI

The College will not break conclave.

CAMERLENGO

We can't hide this anymore. The

burning church --

MORTATI

A despicable act of terrorism.

Father Simeon will make a suitable

announcement lamenting the loss of

life. May I suggest you direct

your energies to helping the Swiss

Guard confront the possibility of this

explosive device, and leave church

leadership --

He gestures to the open doors to the Sistine Chapel, and the

assembled cardinals within.

MORTATI (cont'd)

-- to its leaders.

The Camerlengo looks at him for a long moment, then turns and

wa1ks away.

Father Simeon, who had been lurking in the open doorway to the

chapel, now glides up beside him and touches Mortati's arm.

FR. SIMEON

Eminence. There is a growing fear

that without the four prefiriti, a two-

thirds majority for any candidate may

be impossible. Unless --

He trails off, gestures vaguely.

MORTATI

Speak plainly.

FR. SIMEON

It is the recommendation of many that

you ask to be removed from your post

as Great Elector --

Mortati raises an eyebrow, seeing where this is going.

FR. SIMEON (cont'd)

-- thereby making yourself eligible

to wear the Ring of the Fisherman.

85.

Mortati looks at him for a moment, then looks back, over his

shoulder, where a small knot of Cardinals, who have clearly

discussed this, are looking at him in confirmation.

MORTATI

If it is God's will, may His will be

DONE

CUT TO:

Date: 2015-12-18; view: 685